The Silver Lining
by KGaki
Summary: "Konoha took you outside of the real world to protect you. The real world is out to get you..." "And I just took myself out of the only safe place..."  M for situations and some language
1. Chapter 1

**Warning:** This _is_ a sequel to "There's No Way I Could" **however**, I have tried to sum up as much as I could to where you might not even have to read it if you don't want to. XD

**Beta'd by:** TheIrisFire who is ever so AWESOME :3

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><p>"Wait! Please! Don't do this!" the strangled cry finally managed to pull from his parched throat as he was dragged to the front door. The grip on his arm was painful but was less prevalent as the various aches and pains that pulsed throughout his body. "Listen to me!"<p>

Without another moment of hesitation he was hurled outside into the pouring rain, his skin immediately soaking in the cold from the icy droplets. He winced as his back and elbows absorbed most of the impact. He lay sprawled on the patio for a few seconds before drawing his eyes up. "Don't do this... Please!"

"I didn't do this," the voice snarled at him more menacingly than he expected. "You did." The slam of the door signaled the end of their conversation, or perhaps everything altogether, and was enough to reanimate the young boy's body as he ran back to the door. There had to be another way to make him listen. It couldn't end like this; not after all he had done and how far he had come to finally call himself the other boy's lover. Why were things never as easy as they should have been? Where did he go wrong?

"No! Please! SASUKE!"

Naruto fell against the door, finally letting out a pitiful sob as he laid his head against the hand-carved wood. The rain continued its downpour as if to heighten his misery even further, taunting him. He could tell that it was his own tears that began to fall down his cheeks because they were hot in contrast to the freezing raindrops that ran down his jaw and mingled with the salty streams. He tried to swallow his own sobs but found that doing so only made him feel as if he were choking himself. His body began to tremble against the door as he brought his arms around himself to keep his aching limbs from becoming completely numb.

His chest felt as if it were about to cave in on itself and he began to suffocate slowly as a searing pain shot from his heart. Raindrops hitting the concrete became nothing more than a gentle hum amidst the shrill ringing in his ears that did little to distract him from the agonizing pain. He held his breath to keep from vomiting and found that nothing could be done to keep him from crying any longer. "Please..."

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><p><strong>2 Months Earlier<strong>

"Are you really not coming back next year?" Kiba persisted with his questioning; wearing a deep-set frown that only upset the blond even more.

"You know I can't come back next year," he spoke in a hushed whisper that barely reached the other's ears on the other side of the room. His small duffle bag that he had pushed under the bed and neglected for a whole year was now being put to use once again, directing him to a change of place. He stuffed his clothes in there so they would fit as neatly as possible but found that it was much more difficult than he remembered. _Did I come here with this much stuff?_

"Come on man! Just because of one little—"

"It's not little," Naruto cut in abruptly, ceasing all movement as he stared out the open window for another moment. He took in the fresh scent of pine that slowly wafted through the room and cooled down his burning skin. "These past couple of months have been hard on this school, don't you think?"

"Sarutobi can deal with those vultures," Kiba insisted, dropping his own luggage at the door and approaching the blond with plea in his dark eyes. "Cell phones have been banned and you have those private classes that you can keep doing until it all blows over!"

"Kiba," he beseeched the other boy as he turned to look away from the window and to his desperate friend. It warmed his heart to know that he was of enough importance to fight for in such a case, but he knew that it could not be done. "I don't want things to remain as they are, okay? I am grateful for what the old man has done for me, but that's not enough. I'll be living with Jiraiya, and be homeschooled by a private tutor."

Kiba made a face of pure discomfort as he watched the blond slowly zip up his bag, the sound seeming to strip away all other noises until they reached the door. "Well... At least we have the summer... Right?"

His blue eyes looked back at his friend with a reassuring glint that made the other boy force a small smile. "Of course. You think I'd let you slip away from my life that easily? You're stuck with me, buddy."

At this the brunette snickered as he punched his friend's arm playfully. "I don't think so, pal. It's _you_ who is stuck with _us_. We're not about to lose you to something as frivolous as distance."

"I didn't even know you knew what frivolous meant," another voice interjected. "I guess that means you have learned something this year."

"Tch," Kiba pouted with a mocking scowl as Shikamaru closed his door behind him with two suitcases in hand. "Just because I wasn't in advanced classes like some people, doesn't mean I'm stupid. Besides, once Naruto is all settled in you _better_ be calling me over!"

"Sure," the former sophomore replied with a roll of his eyes. "That is, if you have no problems visiting an Uchiha manor."

"Oh... I forgot about that," he grumbled thoughtfully for a moment with a look directed at the startled blond.

"Let's get going then!" Naruto proclaimed eagerly as he ran down the hallway towards the wooden staircase. It was hard to believe that he was leaving this place so soon.

When he had first arrived at this school hidden in the leaves it had been one of the worst experiences of his life. He had felt like an outcast and was more alone than he had ever been in his life. Through a series of outrageous disasters that put him through a whirlwind of emotions that he had never felt before, he emerged from the rubble taking away more from the experience than he could have ever lost. He met so many interesting people and, though he felt like his world was crumbling around him, he also managed to change them all for the better. Looking back at the other boys who were struggling to keep up with him, he smiled at the fact that he could call them _friends_. He had the care and loyalty of a select few who proved to him that they would remain by his side no matter what the circumstances. There was this... along with something much more precious.

"Remind me why we are running!" Kiba wheezed as he set his bags on the floor of the entrance room. Many other boys were rushing by and congregating in their own corners to have one last conversation with their classmates before they departed.

"I'm excited!" Naruto exclaimed with an overjoyed grin to his friends, finding that it was highly contagious. "Aren't we supposed to be happy that school is over and we get 3 months off?"

Shikamaru gave him a wry smile before patting his shoulder lightly. "I suppose it could be that way for us, but aren't you distracting yourself from the fact that you're not going to be coming back here again? This is where it all happened, right?"

The blond's smile faded, not into a frown, but a straight, thin line of contemplation as he looked back at the wooden doors. Of course Shikamaru was right; he was always right. He would have never guessed when he first met him that this lazy kid was actually a reluctant genius with so much more insight than anyone he knew. "Well, I'm going to miss it, sure," he began hesitantly as he looked down at his bag. "But, things will be a lot better for everyone once I'm gone."

"Do you mean all of us, or just Sasuke and Hinata?"

Naruto's muscles tensed as the sounds of the familiar names brought others' attentions to them briefly. He waved his hand dismissively at Kiba with a stern glare as he tried to think of a quick change of subject.

"So, you'll be given a cell phone once we're out right?" Shikamaru asked nonchalantly as if that's what they had been talking about from the beginning whilst digging his elbow into Kiba's side.

"Y-yeah," Naruto chimed in, recapturing his smile and ignoring the spiky haired brunette as he fell to his knees.

"Fucking hell, I'm sorry!" he coughed with a sideways glare to the other boy as he rubbed his ribs. "So, when will I be able to get a hold of you, Naruto?"

The blond shrugged. "Whenever Shika deems you worthy enough."

"Ass."

"It's 5 o'clock," Naruto cut in before Shikamaru could add any last snide comments, throwing his bag over his shoulder and walking towards the doors. The stares he received were overwhelmingly uncomfortable and he was more eager than any of them to remove himself from the environment.

Once they were outside he slowed his pace so his friends could walk at his sides comfortably. The shaded path with tightly packed soil was always a tranquil one to walk along. The various shades of green meshed together so uniformly on either side made it difficult to discern where the scenery began and where it ended. The air was much crisper than it was when it drifted through the bedroom window, and it wisped past them as the gentle breeze whistled through the pine and ash. Naruto let out a contented sigh that broke into the still silence that wasn't completely total, but oddly comforting as they approached the intersecting paths that led to the girls' dorm ahead, the campus to their right, and the road back to civilization to their left.

Many cars were lining up on the left, a sight that the blond hadn't seen because he had joined late and had walked the couple of miles along that dirt road in order to arrive here. The day of arrival sparked so many new beginnings that thinking back on the absurd nature of them made him chuckle.

"My driver should be somewhere around here," Shikamaru mumbled under his breath as he stood on his tiptoes in order to get a better view over the gaggle of students that were still getting their goodbyes out of the way.

"That's my mom!" Kiba cheered happily with an energetic wave to someone in the distance. Turning to the blond he dropped his bags and captured him in a tight hug that nearly choked all the air from his lungs. "You better call me over this summer! I won't forgive you if you don't!"

"Take care, Inuzuka," Naruto coughed playfully as he was released and without another word his friend sprinted through the crowd and disappeared. "That kid has too much energy."

"You can get pretty restless yourself," Shikamaru commented as he picked up his suitcases, having apparently spotted his driver. "Follow me."

"I prefer passionate," he added jokingly as they came up to a glossy black luxury car where a man in a chauffer's suit was standing by the open passenger door. _Talk about going out in style._

"Is your friend coming along with you, Nara-sama?" The man spoke stiffly but had a friendly smile that didn't unnerve him as much as his tone.

"Yeah, we're taking him into the city, just a couple miles from home."

"That would put you a bit behind schedule," the man added; nonetheless, he opened the other door for Naruto, grabbing his duffle bag from his shoulder and placing it in the trunk.

"I'm not worried about that. Time limits are too tiresome to deal with anyway," Shikamaru stated with a light roll of his eyes as he sat next to the silent blond.

"You need to learn to be a bit more punctual, Nara-sama. Your father was recently scolded by the Mistress for such a thing."

A slight grin was now detected in the other boy's features as their doors were closed, and he waited for the driver to take his seat behind the steering wheel before he playfully added, "Drive fast then."

The trees passed them by in one seamless blur as the car pulled out of the line of vehicles, being one of the first to drive away. Without meaning to, Naruto glanced out the back window at the campus that was quickly disappearing into the background, letting the leaves consume and hide it from full view. He remembered a time when looking forward at his future at that campus always brought about a foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach. Now that he was looking back it all seemed a bit too sudden. _I'm actually going to miss it._

"So, as far as theatrical pursuits go?" Shikamaru's question was a sudden break from the odd nostalgia that was beginning to make him feel uneasy.

Naruto fell back in his seat with a thoughtful glance up to the roof. "I'm going to try some community theaters and Suna University. I hear they sometimes accept local auditions for some productions."

"Sounds like a good plan," the brunette commented with a nod as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "It was quite generous of your old man to let you stay the summer away from him."

Naruto nodded as his eyes drifted to the side window, watching the trees grow thinner and more scarce as they approached the main road. "I got to spend our vacation days with him, and he thought that it couldn't hurt since he lives in the same city. It's not like I won't see him before summer ends."

Jiraiya was an old man who had taken full custody of Naruto after searching for him desperately when he ran away. Naruto never thought that anyone he encountered through the foster system could ever bring themselves to care about him, so he left before he had the chance to meet this man. Little did he know that while he was granted a free pass to Konoha Academy, Jiraiya and his social worker, Tsunade, were searching for him heedlessly. He was more than grateful to have a guardian who was making such great efforts to give him time to allow him to adjust whilst letting their relationship grow stronger.

"Hey... Shika," the blond murmured quietly.

"Hm?"

"Do you think leaving Konoha was for the best?"

"In your sense, I suppose."

"And in _your_ sense?"

The brunette opened his eyes, not seeming to focus on anything in particular. A short breath, like a sigh, passed his lips as his hand came up to scratch his head lazily. "Konoha took you outside of the real world, to protect you," he answered as he let his eyes drift closed once more. "The real world is out to get you..."

"And I just took myself out of the only safe place..."

"I sure hope you know what you're doing."

_So do I._

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><p><strong>AN:** Welcome to _The Silver Lining_! If you have the time for some reading, check out _There's No Way I Could_. :)

**Another WARNING: **The first block of chapters are going to time jump. I know I'll get complaints about it, and I'll try to make it easier for you to understand, but I guess it couldn't hurt to just let you know :D

Next update will be Friday :3

Enjoy~


	2. Chapter 2

Beta'd by: TheIrisFire ... Who is still awesome! :D

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><p>"It's huge!"<p>

"Refrain from sharing details of your private life, please."

Naruto turned around to punch his friend in the arm before gluing himself to the window again. The manor ahead was a large, white two story building that sat at the center of a clean cut courtyard. It contained an assortment of vibrant colors that gave the dark brick driveway a shade of life. The car came to a slow stop, and the driver walked to the thick iron gates to speak through the intercom.

"Let's hope we can make it through this."

Naruto frowned at the almost inaudible comment before looking back at Shikamaru. "I'm sorry if this is asking too much of you..."

His friend shrugged with a small sigh. "I honestly would feel uncomfortable if I left you in the care of someone else."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Would you prefer I left it all up to Kiba or Lee?" The blond shuddered. "If we're going to make this work we have to be discrete, so trust me when I say you shouldn't be out and about a lot. You have to change your standard of living to be here."

"My standards seem to change often, anyways. Don't worry, Shika. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Will he?"

There was a tense pause that made the blond's jaw clench on its own. Before he could reply, the driver returned, opening Naruto's door with a friendly smile. "Your presence is requested at the intercom, Naruto-sama."

"J-just Naruto is good," he stammered as he stepped out from the car and followed the man to the pillar.

"I've brought him as you've requested. Now do you believe me?" he asked as he pressed the button.

With a roll of his eyes, the blond pushed passed the driver. "Open the damn gate! It's hot out here!"

"My apologies, Naruto-sama! We've been expecting you, but I needed to be sure!"

He let out a groan; there was no way he could get used to people calling him that. "Thanks."

The gates opened gratingly as he made his way back to the car. "Just precautions. Nothing too serious."

"It'd be more secure if you stayed at their main estate. Why were you so hell-bent on staying in this one?"

"Because Itachi isn't here," he mumbled as the car stopped before the front concrete steps.

"You didn't bother to tell him what happened?"

"Would you?" He exclaimed, feeling more frustrated as he thought about it. "Why would I tell him that his brother propositioned me in an attempt to keep me away from him?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Better to hear it from you than someone else. He's a smart guy. He's probably already guessed that your discomfort has something to do with Itachi."

"I'm more worried about what Itachi will do if he finds me." With recent events, it was plain to see that Sasuke had chosen Naruto, despite the warning that Itachi had given him. If they ever met again, he had a feeling that the older Uchiha would spare him no kindness.

The large double doors opened as he was handed his duffle bag, and he began holding his breath instinctively with anticipation. Everything seemed to fade into a hazy background noise as his vision narrowed to a single focal point.

"Dobe, no one knows this is the Uchiha's second mansion. Of course they're going to verify that it's really you."

Then he emerged; Uchiha Sasuke. It had been almost 2 months since he had seen him last, and his physical presence was still more enchanting than any image his memory could construct. His charcoal locks fell elegantly to the sides to frame his flawless pale face, still with choppy spikes in the back. He stood straight and unwavering with a sense of confidence while the blond felt so awestruck he thought his knees would buckle. The dark hues met his gaze of blue for a brief moment before trailing to the brunette behind him.

"The pass code is U3074A, so you don't have to go through the security."

"Extensive. If I knew any better I'd think you didn't want anyone here." The remark was snide, making the blond twitch with anxiousness to hear the Uchiha's reply. Shikamaru never pretended to like Sasuke much, but he never claimed to dislike him either. Although, after what they had all gone through, his best friend had a hard time believing in Sasuke's commitment to the relationship, especially when he graduated early and left Naruto alone for a couple of months. This seemed to be a minor detail to the blond but he knew that, even when he told him not to, Shikamaru took on the responsibility of keeping the peace as best he could. With the brunette being as cordial and as thoughtful as he always was, Naruto felt as if it wasn't his place to keep him from saying what he wanted to Sasuke.

"You are enough unneeded company as it is," the raven haired teen replied almost mechanically without missing a beat.

"I'll be by tomorrow to drop off the cell phone," Shikamaru finished talking to the Uchiha before turning to the blond. "I'll let everyone else know you've arrived okay."

"Thanks," he replied awkwardly as he watched him retreat back into the car.

"Get inside," the sudden demand brought his attention back to the raven at the front door before he disappeared into the house.

"W-wait!" he called after Sasuke nervously before stumbling into the entrance room. As he opened his mouth to call out to him again, he fell silent for a moment so that he could study his new home for the summer.

The entrance branched off into two corridors that disappeared behind two staircases, framed with dark, smooth steel that spiraled upward. It was a much more contemporary style than the old rustic look of the school, and was made primarily of polished marble and decorated with dark blue tapestries. "Are you just going to stand there usuratonkachi, or are you going to follow?" Sasuke called from the stairs to his right, making Naruto bolt toward the stairs in order to keep up.

"Slow down for a second!"

"Feel free to explore wherever you want. This manor is used for family reunions so it has more bedrooms and living spaces than anything else," the raven explained with a motion towards the doors as they walked briskly down another hallway.

"O-okay but—"

"Avoid the front doors, and never answer them," he continued, walking far ahead as the blond tried to register everything. "This is your room. It's bigger than the others and even has a small kitchen you could use if you wanted." He opened the door, beckoning the dazed teen to enter, but he felt too rushed to want to comply with anything.

"Hold on just a damn second!" Naruto finally snapped, feeling more agitated after seeing the calm expression of the older boy. "I _just _got here! This is the first time I've seen you in a long time!"

"Get in the room, dobe," he ordered, his features reflected very little discontent.

"No! Not until you at least give me a proper—"

All of the air was forced from his lungs as his back hit the wall behind him. He hadn't even had the chance to blink before Sasuke closed the empty space between them. The blond gasped for as much air as he could before Sasuke's lips crashed into his, pressing against him so forcefully that he was left dumbfounded. The older boy's tongue slid into the other's mouth, avidly exploring the familiar territory.

"Hnn!" Naruto couldn't keep the small sounds from escaping into the kiss as he instinctively moved to struggle against such a fast advance. "Sa—ahh!" his body jerked with a pleased shudder as Sasuke bit down onto his bottom lip, and they both slid onto the ground.

"Sasuke," he gasped when the raven wasn't deterred as he nibbled at his jaw line. "S-stop! You're servants—mmnn!"

"You should have listened to me in the first place."

"Don't... give me... ahh.. that shit!" he panted heavily, feeling his entire body become hot as Sasuke's tongue glided down the length of his neck. He could feel himself becoming more aroused, and the fact that it was so sudden made him feel more embarrassed of the fact. "Gaah! Please..."

"Please what? Be clear," Sasuke answered abruptly before capturing the blond's lips again. _A bit difficult when you don't give me a chance to breathe!_

"Mnn!" He attempted to gasp as cold fingers quickly worked at unbuttoning his shirt, trailing over his bare skin.

Something about it was too off-putting for comfort. As much as he expected and wanted it, there was something noticeably rushed about the whole situation. What was the hurry when they had the entire summer to spend together?

That was when he felt a strange vibration against his thigh. At first, it was too subtle to notice, especially when he was thoroughly enjoying being touched by the raven, but the buzzing became even more apparent when Sasuke's leg rested against his.

With a slight frown Naruto, reluctantly, pulled away to stare down at Sasuke's pocket. "What the hell is that?"

The Uchiha's brow was already furrowed, having noticed it the second it had started going off. "It's a phone, baka. That device that everyone else in the world but you has."

"Piss off," the blond grumbled as he leaned onto his elbows while Sasuke sat up to take the small device from his pocket. "Who is it?"

Sasuke held the small chrome case for a few moments before glancing at the younger boy almost apprehensively. A faint click was heard before the Uchiha put the phone to his ear. "What do you want?"

Naruto sat up as well with a raised brow, curious as to what was putting Sasuke in such a weird mood.

"Why is that any of your business? – I don't give a—you can't just do that! Oi!" his tone became a defensive growl as he stood up with an enraged shout. "Itachi!"

The blond tensed at the sound of the name. His heart began to beat erratically in a fit of panic as he pressed his back against the wall. Would he have to leave here already? He wasn't ready for that kind of conflict; he never would be. But, if he had truly known that Naruto would be there, the older Uchiha would not have bothered to send a warning; it wasn't his style. Somehow he felt as if his whereabouts were still safe, but something much more troubling was amiss.

"What a bastard," the raven scowled as he shoved his phone into his pocket, holding his other hand out to offer support as Naruto stood up with him.

"What was that about?" He asked quietly, feeling bashful as he realized his shirt was practically falling off of his shoulders.

"I," Sasuke paused, something he normally didn't do, "I have to do as he says. It's what keeps him unaware that I have you here. Though I'm not sure why that is such a problem." He added the last part with a stern glance, making Naruto look down at the floor.

He felt as if that phone call was what could explain the raven's hasty actions. "Well... What does he want you to do?"

"He has me as an intern at our main office across town," Sasuke began, though he trailed off with a slight frown.

Naruto couldn't help but raise an inquisitive brow as his arms crossed in anticipation. "And?"

"I might be gone for a couple of days."

"WHAT?"

"Not so loud!" The Uchiha shouted, though more out of a defensive reaction to the blond's sudden outburst. "There's nothing I can do about it!"

"What am I supposed to do in this house without _you _here?" His voice continued to raise, more so out of panic than of anger. "Wasn't being with you the point of me staying here over the summer?"

"It's not like I'm going to be gone forever, baka!" He snapped, though there was an evident strain in his voice as if he knew this was a losing battle. "The faster I get there the faster I can get done with whatever he has planned for me and I can come back here."

"B-but..." the blond stammered in frustration but found himself at a loss for words. Something about being alone in such a large house, especially on the first night, was incredibly intimidating. "What am I supposed to do?"

The Uchiha sighed as he began to walk briskly down the hallway. "In the future, I won't mind if you invite someone over to keep you company. It'll be better when you have a cell phone."

_That's encouraging... Except I don't have one yet!_ His teeth were clenched as he tried to calm the uneasiness in his stomach. He felt Sasuke's lips against his for a brief moment before he sprinted down the spiraling stairs and was gone from his vision altogether.

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><p>Maybe something about that moment should have warned him about what kind of "standard of living" he would have to maintain... A few weeks into their vacation and he was able to notice the pattern of Itachi calling Sasuke into the office more often, and seeing him turned into occasions that were to be celebrated. It was the days that he would spend alone in the uncomfortable, yet recognizable silence that put him more on edge.<p>

With Shikamaru's encouragement he had decided that it would be best to pursue his aspirations outside of that empty house. It was a temporary distraction, and a dangerous one that could have led to even more trouble, but at the time it seemed worth the risk.

How could he have known what it would eventually lead to?

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><p><strong>AN:** Yeeeeeah.. Remember what I said about updating on Friday? Fuck it XD I'm impatient.

Enjoy~

**P.S.** Remember that this part of the story is Naruto looking back (and summing up) the events of what happened during the first two months of summer. It **will** time jump. But I've managed to keep them at the beginning or end of the chapters, so you don't have to worry about it switching up in the middle XD


	3. Chapter 3

Beta'd by: TheIrisFire Much thanks to your awesomeness!

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><p><strong>Present<strong>

The rain was still cold against his skin even when he felt like his entire body was going numb. Did it start because he had decided to leave Konoha, the only haven he ever had? His blue eyes trailed up the tall wooden doors that led to the inside of, what felt like, his second home. That couldn't have been it. There was no way for him to have predicted that things would escalate this far...

What were the things that brought about this madness?

**One Week Earlier**

These alleys had no end did they? He wheezed painfully as his legs refused to let up on their sprint. There were distant shouts in the background that continued to yell out his name, but he would be damned if he heeded to their calls. His heart was hammering so agonizingly in his chest that he was sure it was about to burst and his legs began to burn painfully with each long stride he took.

"Naruto!" A familiar voice broke through the intense throbbing that pounded in his ears and he skid to a brief halt to see his friend at the other end of the alley beckoning him to the open car door.

"Shikamaru!" His voice cracked from the exhaustion as he used the last of his strength to run down the narrow path and into the open street again. Before anyone else could notice him again he jumped into the back of the black car with his friend. Coming to such a sudden stop took a huge toll on his body and he began to hyperventilate, desperately trying to take in as much air as he could.

"You need to calm down," Shikamaru said soothingly as he put a gentle hand to his back.

Naruto nodded with his eyes shut tightly in order to concentrate on his inconsistent breathing that parched his throat. There was no need to worry anymore. Those people were all gone and it was only Shikamaru and him now. After a few moments of regaining his composure, he took in a deep breath through his nose in order to establish control. Wiping the dripping sweat from his brow, he finally allowed himself to relax as he fell back into the cushioned seat and enjoyed the air conditioning against his skin.

"If you would have waited just another second we would have pulled up and this could have all been avoided," the lazy brunette stated as he gestured towards his chauffer.

"No offense, Shika," Naruto sighed as he opened his eyes to stare at the black upholstery. "They didn't really give me a second to wait for anything."

"And your first instinct is to dart into an alley were you could have possibly run into a dead end and been cornered?"

"_Maybe_," Naruto snapped sarcastically as the two shared a short lived chuckle. "I don't know what to do when I'm caught off guard, so I ran for it. I didn't think they would show up right outside of my audition." What else could he have done? The second he had stepped foot out the door he was suddenly blinded by an onrush of camera flashes and various voices calling his name; in his confusion he was forced to run to the place where it would be the easiest to lose them.

"Sometimes I wonder what an education _outside_ of Konoha will do for you," Shikamaru commented wryly as the car pulled up to the familiar gated entrance of the "small" manor. The chauffer punched in the familiar digits before the dark iron gates opened before them.

"Give me one hell of a headache?" He retorted with a smile to the other boy, feeling the car come to a complete stop. "Thanks for everything. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Get mauled by the paparazzi," his friend answered as he stepped out of the car and into the surprisingly chilly air that felt good against Naruto's heated skin.

The gates closed with a raspy chimeas they walked through the courtyard and up the stone path to the side of the house. The trail was shaded with tall fir trees that gave off a fresh aroma whenever he walked by, but he was never able to linger long enough to enjoy the scent as he would have liked as he hurried down the narrow path that eventually led to the workers' entrance door and into the small lobby that sat toward the back of the house. It was quite the detour from the front doors, but given the persistence of the outside world it was too risky to chance being seen at what _could have been_ an Uchiha manor. When the door closed behind the two, he felt as if he was able to finally breathe.

"I don't know how you do it," Shikamaru stated with a tired sigh as his eyes scanned the cramped and cluttered space that belonged to and was organized by the few who were employed there. Naruto had yet to interact with any of them since the house was not fully occupied, and the less people that knew, the better. "I wouldn't be able to take this kind of pressure. It's too much of a hassle to not be able to use the front door."

Naruto leaned against the pale wooden door with a tired smile. "I don't think it's something I'll be getting used to, but I can get by with it."

After navigating themselves through a series of small hallways that led them past many working areas, they stepped out onto the soft navy blue carpeting of the hallway, taking in the fresh clean scent of his home. It was easy enough to get through once he learned to follow the corridors straight through before opening any doors that would only confuse him. It was a unique little system he had devised while roaming the seemingly empty manor while Sasuke was gone.

"What would you do if you ever did get caught by one of them?" the question was a bit unsettling, and blond hesitated with a slight frown as he opened the door to his room.

When he looked back at his friend he was sure to put on a genuine smile as he answered, "Lie."

Without another word he ventured into the dark living space. The small hallway connected to the living room which had a long brown leather couch and a TV set against the wall. Long sliding glass doors sat at the very end of the room which led to a balcony that offered a pleasant view of the front entrance of the manor as well as a part of the city. It was one of his least favorite places to go. He wandered to the single hallway to the right of the 'living room' which led to his bedroom and a single bathroom.

He began to unbutton his shirt, throwing his tie onto his bedroom floor, not caring about tidiness at the present moment. Shikamaru followed him, leaning against the doorway with a weary grin. "I'm glad you're taking it so well. You seem to be a lot more optimistic than when I first met you, and that was a bit depressing."

"Can you blame me?" He laughed as he thought back to the recent year he had spent at Konoha Academy before he opted to leave it all behind. "I don't think anyone could have been prepared for what I went through."

"Well, keeping a secret as big as this is something that would strain anyone, even if they were prepared for it," Shikamaru interjected, seeming rather comfy while leaning against the doorframe.

Naruto tossed his shirt onto the floor with his tie; his smile didn't falter. "Sometimes, to get what you really want you need to be willing to make some sacrifices."

"If you say so," Shikamaru yawned with his usual shrug as he turned back down the hall. "But there are only so many sacrifices you can make before you have to start thinking about your own needs... Speaking of, has he asked you yet?"

"Are you leaving?" he called after the brunette, ignoring the last question as he pulled boxers and long black sweatpants from a dresser. He tried not to think about what he meant by that.

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you made it here in one piece. Call me if you need anything!"

"Thanks again, Shika!" He called out before he heard the door close, leaving him alone in the empty space. To keep from sitting in the stillness too long he walked to the bathroom across the hall and turned on the shower.

As he stood and let the hot water soak his body he could not help but reflect over how he had gotten to this point. He had gone from an orphaned runaway who didn't have a friend in the world to a student at one of the most prestigious academies in the country. Through a string of strange and, at times, unfortunate events he ended up falling in love with someone that he probably shouldn't have. But, he had come too far to regret it now.

He turned the shower off, enjoying the warmth of the steam before he got dressed. He didn't bother wearing a shirt; he liked how cold it felt to walk out of a hot shower and back into the air conditioned hallway. There was a faint noise of a door closing from the front room, and he stood still in the hall for another moment as he tossed the other garments into his bedroom. With a satisfying stretch, he walked towards the living room with a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"This is disgusting. Either have the cooks make you something or I'm buying you groceries." The familiar voice brought in a wave of comfort that seemed to take the pressure from earlier completely off his chest.

"You're not doing anything," he answered the voice as he rounded the corner with a contented smile. "Sasuke."

The other boy emerged from the kitchen; his usual placid expression was unable to feign indifference as his black eyes rested on Naruto. He adjusted the dark tie to fit better around his white collared work shirt that was tucked neatly into a pair of black slacks. Naruto could not help but admire the boy's beauty even though they were just typical work clothes. He always liked seeing him when they were able to be alone. It was during these times that he got to see less inhibition clouding the young Uchiha's eyes and he got to be more himself than he could let the world see.

Without a word in reply Sasuke approached him quickly, pressing the blond against the wall as he planted an eager kiss against his lips. Naruto closed his eyes, giving into the older boy's advances almost instantly as his arms wrapped around his neck. It had been a little over a week since he had seen him last, and he was not about to complain for such an avid greeting. A cold pale hand slid up his bare chest slowly, making him sigh with satisfaction at the feathery touches before his fingers reached up to touch his cheek.

They parted with slight pants as Sasuke leaned his head against Naruto, offering a faint smile to the blond's dazed stare.

He enjoyed the swell of happiness that warmed his entire body and created a pleasant drumming in his chest as he looked into those black hues boldly. But, he could not keep what had happened earlier a secret from Sasuke; it wouldn't have felt right. "They... found me again today."

"What?" the older boy's voice snapped; a much more stern expression took over his features. "Where?"

"My audition today, the one you said you'd go to," Naruto reminded him with a raised brow before shaking his head. "I figure it's easier for them now since they know I regularly audition for events in the area."

"Why didn't you call me?" Sasuke questioned as he took a step back.

"It happened right as I left. I figured that if you were too busy to show up then you'd still be too busy by the time I had left. There wasn't a chance anyways," he explained softly with another sigh. "It's fine though."

"No, it's not. What do I have to do to get those parasites off my back?" the Uchiha hissed as he put a hand over his eyes.

"_Your _back?" Naruto asked.

"Why else would they be after you?" He countered as he walked to the kitchen counter and pulled an old article from a large collecting pile before tossing it to him.

The blond caught it, not having to read the cover to know which one Sasuke had chosen. The cover had two pictures lined down the middle; one of them was of Sasuke when he was talking at a small press conference, and the other was a candid shot of Hyuuga Hinata, looking particularly displeased. In big, bold white letters the title that took the world by storm had been _"The Engagement Is OFF!"_ When news of that broke out while they were still in school, there were more than enough 'witnesses' to an affair the Uchiha had with a classmate. Since the scene they had made was not as 'discrete' as it could have been, there were plenty of students who testified that some blond kid named Naruto was to blame.

And all hell broke loose.

"Why _are_ they after me?" He asked incredulously, knowing that Sasuke was only going to ignore the question. Even if he wanted to press further, the fact that the Uchiha ignored the question entirely made him shy away from the subject. Maybe he hadn't earned the right to ask that question when he was also keeping what had happened with Itachi a secret.

"Is Shikamaru the only one who knows you live here?"

"That was the idea, wasn't it?" He suddenly felt uncomfortable before such an irritated glare, and he let himself slide down the wall until he was seated on the floor. "He and Jiraiya are the only ones who know I'm here."

"Well, it should stay that way," Sasuke sighed as he leaned onto the back of the couch. "You never know how far they'll go to find out where you live. But—" He was about to add something else before a loud and obnoxious noise sounded from the small end table by the couch.

It was a familiar ringtone that he had grown to hate, and he glared up at Sasuke. The raven-haired boy expertly dodged the fierce stare as he walked to the kitchen with a puzzled look. There was a brief moment of silence before a small click was heard. "This better be good, Itachi."

Naruto's muscles tensed at the familiar name, and his eyes dropped to the floor. He had been careful to avoid Sasuke's older brother since the Konoha Ball when he was a sophomore. He felt as if he should have confessed what had happened between them while they were still in school, but, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it. There was already so much they had to deal with and he didn't want to add that kind of strain. It was only one kiss, even if it did follow a proposal that he ended up refusing. But, the fact that Itachi never gave Sasuke a moments rest was probably entirely his fault.

There were hushed yet evidently annoyed murmurs coming from the kitchen for a while longer, and he tried to make out most of the conversation. "... I had that done yesterday... No – Fine!" Sasuke grumbled before he heard another definitive click.

When he rounded the corner of the kitchen there was a heated blue glare waiting for him. "You didn't."

"There's nothing I can do about it, Naruto," he pleaded defensively as he brandished his phone in front of him. "I don't own the company yet, so I am in no position to refuse."

"Yes you are; you're his brother," he snapped as he hoisted himself to his feet. "It's bad enough that you let him make you miss important dates, but calling you back after you _just_ got off work is bullshit!"

"I'm sorry I missed the audition!" Sasuke shot back more angrily than apologetically.

The blond rolled his eyes before turning back down the hallway. "It's not a big deal," he called back with a shake of his head. There was no use getting angry over it; it wasn't like it was important anyways, right?

Before he could set foot in his bedroom he felt himself being pulled back into a firm embrace. Sasuke's hands pressed tightly against his chest and he brushed his lips against the nape of Naruto's neck, making the blond shiver involuntarily. He continued to trail kisses up his neck until he was able to lightly nibble on his ear. _Damn him!_ Why did he have to be so skilled at this?

He couldn't stay mad at him, at least not when he did things like this. There was a definable sweetness that revealed a lesser known side of Sasuke that only he was allowed to see; he was not about to deny himself that honor. A defeated sigh escaped his lips as he leaned his head back into the crook of his neck. "You're still an ass," he said jokingly, feeling the warmth leave him as Sasuke moved away.

He checked his phone again with a frown having received another message from Itachi. "I know, but I'll make it up to you."

"That's what you said last time," he laughed as he listened to the sound of his footsteps making their way towards the door. It wasn't until he heard the door close that he felt a frown begin to wear on his features. "And then I didn't hear from you for a week."

He fought the uneasiness and forced a smile while he made his way to his bed. He knew that, if all else failed, he could always feel a little better by relaxing on the comfortable mattress. As he rolled onto his back he reached as far as he could towards the nightstand until he was able to grasp the small cell phone next to his alarm clock.

So, a couple of things didn't go as planned...

_I wonder what Shikamaru is doing later._

* * *

><p>"There is nothing but ramen in your pantry. That's... sick."<p>

"I thought you said you liked ramen!" Naruto commented defensively, watching his friend close the door with a shake of his head.

"I do, in moderation," Shikamaru added as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "What you have going on in there is just unhealthy."

"I'm sorry my selection doesn't hold up to your fine taste," he grumbled as he walked over to the couch.

"If you don't do something about it, one of us is going to end up buying you groceries," Shikamaru threatened mockingly as he followed the blond.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the comment as he turned on the TV. He already had more than he ever dreamed he would in his life; it only made him feel like a bad person when they tried to buy things for him. "I'm fine with what I have. I heard this from Sasuke today already, and neither of you are going to buy me anything."

"So, he _was_ here?" Shikamaru questioned, having caught the source of the problem and why he was called over again.

_Crap._ Naruto winced at his own carelessness as his friend leaned over the side of the couch to look at his reaction. He tried to remain focused on whatever was happening on the screen, but the fact that Shikamaru was staring at him so intently was beginning to bother him. "Briefly," he finally answered, refusing to meet the brunette's gaze.

"Before Itachi called, you mean?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to," he said musingly as a hand ruffled through his blond hair. "You never do."

"It's fine, really," he reassured as he looked up at his friend. "I just... Didn't want to be alone tonight."

Shikamaru was silent for another moment as his lazy gaze remained locked with his. He yawned, breaking the stare as he looked down at his phone again. There was a simple charm to Shikamaru's movements that were incredibly sluggish, yet somehow deliberate. He knew that when his friend looked at him that it was for a reason, and he shuddered to think of all the things that were going through his mind.

"Who are you calling anyways?"

"Pizza guy," he answered casually. Naruto groaned out his disapproval as Shikamaru quickly stood before his phone could be snatched away. "I draw the line at my seventh bowl of ramen this week."

"Wuss," he snickered, feeling a hand push the back of his head. "When are you supposed to start working for your family's business?"

"Next week," he replied quickly before walking down the hall. "—Yeah I'd like to place an order for delivery."

He leaned against the couch. It was hard enough for him to think about college, and he couldn't imagine what it must have been like to learn about running a business _and_ college at the same time. Sasuke had completed a lot of college credits while he was in high school; the advanced classes they all took offered dual enrollment, but even at that time there was so much going on that he didn't know how Sasuke managed. Sasuke and Shikamaru were both so smart he knew they wouldn't have any trouble adapting to a more hectic lifestyle. Well, Shikamaru would... But he was just lazy.

"There's no need. I'll wait for you at the front gate."

"What university are you going to again?" he asked as soon as he heard his friend hang up the phone.

"Suna University. Same as Sasuke," he answered offhandedly as he flipped over the side of the couch and into the soft cushion with a groan.

Naruto looked down at the black glossy cell phone that Shikamaru gave to him from his family's phone company. Such a small device kept him connected with only a few people, but it worked out much more effectively than he thought it would. With it he knew that Shikamaru was always within reach, and he could never have to be truly alone. Everything he had, now, consisted of things that had been given to him by those around him. He had yet to work and earn what he had, and that bothered him. Exhaling deeply, he sank further into the couch in troubling thought. If he could just be with Sasuke for more than two minutes once a week it would certainly help to give him a better disposition rather than having to pull happiness out of nothing.

At some point he must have dozed off because he awoke to a sharp whistle from his friend as he closed the door behind him. "I have returned with sustenance, and a guest."

_Guest?_ Naruto shot up immediately, receiving quite a head rush as he stumbled to the kitchen. "Jiraiya?"

A fist came in quick contact with the top of his head and he knelt over with a wince. "Ow! What the hell?"

"That's for not answering your phone!" The tall white-haired man snapped with a slight smirk. "How did your audition go?"

"Like I'm going to tell you after that!" He retorted, standing to glare at the man who was his foster father.

"He was swarmed by the paparazzi afterwards," Shikamaru answered while opening a box of pizza. "I guess it was just that good."

"Traitor!" he hissed playfully, ignoring the sudden worry that appeared in the old man's face.

"Those vultures again? I wonder how long they'll keep at it until this whole thing blows over. How long has it been since you've seen this guy anyways?"

"Today... briefly," he answered uneasily ignoring the condescending glance he got from Shikamaru.

"And why do you stay only in this room?" Jiraiya explained with a lazy gesture. "You know there's a whole manor at your disposal right?"

"You don't think I know that? I just happen to like this room better," Naruto lied. His stomach went tight as he spoke as if trying to force the truth down his throat. Why would he wander the house? Why remind himself of how alone he really was? "Need I remind you that this is Sasuke's house, not mine?"

"Well, I think he should get his head out of his ass long enough to know that you're not going to wait around forever in an empty house!" the man proclaimed loudly, making the blond shrink back in embarrassment. "After going to these lengths he should at least ask—"

"You're drunk," Naruto grumbled, though he felt a smile begin to pull at the sides of his mouth. "Sleep on the couch."

"_You're_ drunk!" He retorted lazily before heeding the young boy's command.

Jiraiya was the only foster parent who had wanted to stay by his side. After many years of being tossed back and forth between families that offered nothing more than their lack of concern, he had run away before he even got to meet Jiraiya. The man was a well known and accomplished writer of some books that even he, as a teenage boy, found to be too risqué. But overall he was kind and wise, when he chose to be. There was never a dull moment when he was around and Naruto was eternally grateful for that.

The night passed him by in a strange daze with familiar emotions he had not felt in a long while. Though he was able to smile and laugh with his friend and foster father, his mind refused to stop thinking about Sasuke. He missed him so much it was almost unbearable at times, but he knew that he had to pull through it, for both of their sakes.

* * *

><p>"<em>Can't make it. Sorry."<em> No matter how many times he read over the text message he could do nothing to make himself feel any better.

"That son of a bitch," he whispered through gritted teeth as the car came to a stop in front of the Suna Theater for the Arts. It was getting harder and harder for him to stomach when he did this. He almost wished that Sasuke would not say anything to him at all so he could find out for himself.

"Good news?" Shikamaru asked with a yawn as he tried to curl up comfortably against the car door.

"It's nothing," Naruto grumbled as he gave a glance back to his friend before shutting the door.

"Why did we have to come back here anyways?" Shikamaru asked with another tired yawn and a slightly discontented stare as he emerged from the other side of the car.

"Callbacks," Naruto answered as he began to cross the street with another sigh. "I got a call this morning saying that they really wanted to see more of what I can do because they are considering giving me a slot."

"That's great," the brunette congratulated indolently as he stopped at the front steps of the theater.

Naruto turned to face him with an apologetic wave. "You really didn't have to do all of this for me. I can take care of myself."

"Sometimes, I have my doubts," came the low retort before he watched his friend walk back to the sleek black car.

"Me too," he murmured before walking through the hand carved wooden doors and into the main theater which was mostly empty.

"Naruto!" A man called to him, his voice echoing through the empty space. He was a familiar face from the panel of people he had performed in front of the day before. His hair was silver and pulled back into a ponytail and his eyes were dark, but there was an incredible kindness about them hidden beneath those thin rimmed glasses. He felt especially reassured when this man greeted him with such a warm smile. "So glad you could make it on such short notice. I am Yakushi Kabuto!"

"I got here as soon as I could," he answered with a short wave as he made his way through the aisles and to the front of the stage.

"We think your monologue was simply beautiful. Have you ever thought of working with someone else on a piece?" the man asked while looking through a pile of papers.

"Not really. The thought has never come to me," he thought aloud, "I always did my work alone so I've never really tried, I guess."

"Well, the piece we have for you involves another person, but I just need to have you do a simple thing before we can make our decision."

"Alright," he answered with a nervous smile. He hadn't really prepared any more monologues so he was afraid it would just be a dull repeat of what he had done already.

"I need you to recite a love poem to me. It can be short, sweet, simple, but say it to me as if you truly mean it." The request left him a bit perplexed for the first few seconds as all he could manage to do was blink at the stage director.

"What?"

"It was truly beautiful to hear you speak about your feelings for someone, but I would like to see if you are capable of relaying those emotions _to_ someone. Do you not have a poem in mind?"

"It's not that," he stammered as his face became more flushed. "I just..."

"I have faith in you, Naruto-kun," he smiled warmly as he set the papers down and folded his hands neatly on top of the table. "I don't mind if it's short, you will be doing another one later for all of us to judge, if I think you are good enough."

He nodded bleakly as he stared up at the vacant ceiling. Something short and sweet? He looked back down to the silver-haired man and tried to imagine that those dark eyes he was looking into were the darker shade of black that he was used to. The black eyes that held no shred of compassion or concern for anyone else were the ones he needed to see.

"When I first looked into your eyes," he began quietly as he knelt down to eye level with Kabuto, "both time and space were paralyzed" he paused as he felt a blush creep across his cheeks. "And in that instant, I was shown a universe I had never known. I dwell there still, in Paradise, when I look into your eyes."

He stood up again, feeling his heart begin to hammer in his chest and his nerves made his stomach feel uneasy. It was almost too comfortable to look at another man that way, and the fact that Kabuto didn't shy away from him only made him feel more embarrassed. He had never had to recite anything to someone directly.

"That was truly beautiful," the man said after a few aching moments of silence. "The fact that you can convey so much emotion with something so short is a sign of someone truly gifted. Do you think you could make it back here later this evening when all of us will be able to judge? I'm sure you could come up with another poem by then?"

A sudden feeling of relief as able to alleviate some of the weight he felt pushing against his entire body. "Yes! Of course! Thank you so much!" he exclaimed excitedly as he grabbed the man's hand and shook it feverishly. "I won't let you down!"

"I don't think you will," he replied with a smile before the blond began to dart for the doors. "And, one more question before you leave!"

Naruto stopped at the doors that led into the front entrance room and looked back at the man who seemed so small now. "Yes?"

"Your name, Naruto," he began and he instantly began to feel uncomfortable. "Would you happen to be the same Naruto that has been making headlines on the internet and tabloids for an affair with Uchiha Sasuke?"

He felt it. His stomach completely fell out of his body and onto the floor. He felt so nauseous that he was surprised he didn't vomit right away. "No," he answered softly, hearing his own echo only made his heart sink. "You must have me confused with someone else."

"I see," he called back almost musingly. "Well, good luck to you then. I will see you later tonight!"

He didn't even wait to give him a proper farewell before he darted out the doors. Of course he would be suspicious. Why wouldn't anyone notice the commotion that was caused by yesterday's unwanted disturbance? He felt a weary sigh begin to weigh on him as he exhaled shakily, and then he realized something. _Where is Shikamaru?_ Panic began to nag at his chest as he looked around frantically for the familiar black car. He looked down at his phone to see that there were no new messages or calls. _Where could he have gone?_

"Are your callbacks already over?" Someone asked from behind him, making the young blond jump up with a startled gasp. _Shit!_

Without looking back he began to run across the street, searching for the nearest escape. His heart had jumped into his throat as his mind went racing in many different directions in his panic. "Wait! Stop! Naruto!"

But he couldn't stop. He was fooled before because so many different people knew his name, but if he was ever caught he wouldn't know how to lie even when he had been so sure before. A hand took a firm hold of his wrist, yanking him backwards before he could run any further. He cried out in surprise as he stumbled over his own feet and tripped back into the unknown speaker behind him. They both came crashing down into the pavement, both groaning in pain. "Damn Naruto... Is that how you greet someone you haven't seen in months?"

"What?" he coughed as he sat upright on the sidewalk, trailing his eyes to look behind him. "NEJI?"

The pale boy leaned up on his elbows with a weak smile, wincing once more in slight pain before standing up. He wore nice black pants and a dark blue button up long sleeved shirt. His hair was pulled back loosely as he usually wore it and his eyes were as pale and as mesmerizing as he could remember. The older boy stood up, offering a hand to the blond who seemed to be beside himself with shock.

"I didn't realize your first instinct was to run away from someone who was trying to greet you," he said with a thin smile as he helped Naruto to his feet.

He sank his head in embarrassment as he scratched at his arm nervously. "I'm sorry... I haven't been having the best couple of weeks."

"I'm sure." His voice was slightly curt, but there was still a kindness to his eyes that didn't make him feel awkward. Of course he would be well aware of the broken engagement. Even though it was not to be announced to the public until Hinata graduated, the fact that it had been broken off caused enough stir amongst those who knew, and word eventually got out.

Neji tested out of Konoha Academy not too long after the ball. It seemed that he had been ahead with his credits for a long time but stuck around so he could look after his cousin. The thought that Neji was able to make such a decision for himself was enough to make the blond smile as he leaned in to hug his old friend. This was the first boy he had come to admire; he and his cousin Hinata both took an emotional toll on the blond, but he couldn't expect anything less from a Hyuuga. Things were starting to look a bit brighter once again. He forgot all about that cursed text message that had thrown off his morning and began to focus on the fact that he was being called back for a part and he had run into a familiar face along the way.

He just had to wait for the good things to happen. Had he become too comfortable?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Yes, that chapter _is_ longer than the others XD Thanks for noticing. Thanks to those of you who have reviewed and those of you who are still with me from when I posted "There's No Way I Could"

T_T You guys are amazing *loves*


	4. Chapter 4

Beta'd by: TheIrisFire

* * *

><p>"My place is just a few miles from here if you—"<p>

"I was actually thinking we could have lunch, you know, to catch up?" Neji suggested before he closed the passenger door and walked to the driver's seat. His car only sat two, and its interior was just as stylish and breathtaking as the outside.

"Oh, well..." He hesitated with a nervous chuckle."I don't know if that'd be such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"What if someone from the media sees us? Or someone takes a picture and—"

"Why does that matter?" the question came out of nowhere but nonetheless had the blond momentarily confused. From what he remembered, things like this would have normally bothered Neji to the point where his frustration would creep into his personality and change him.

"I just think that because it's _me_ that it would look bad for us to be seen hanging out," he explained while thinking it over slowly. Neji was the one who had done everything in his power to keep him and Sasuke apart so that the engagement wouldn't fail. Was he really supposed to believe that this whole fiasco didn't really bother him?

"Your business really has nothing to do with me," Neji commented as he turned down another street. The statement itself was not at all like the Hyuuga he remembered. "And if you keep running away from the paparazzi, they're going to know that you have something to hide."

That was true. It seemed that the harder he tried to get away from them they would always come back in a larger swarm and with a vengeance. He wasn't sure how he was going to escape the next ambush. "I guess so... I'm just not used to this..." He admitted weakly as he tried to force himself to laugh it off. "I'm not sure if I ever will be."

Neji's calm expression remained as he pulled into a parking lot of a shop that stood at the corner displaying 'Ichiraku Ramen'. He couldn't contain an excited gasp as he pressed his face against the window to get a better look before they went down another row of cars. "Calm down, we're going inside so there's no need to mark up the window."

"Sorry," he said as he hastily undid his seatbelt. "Ramen is my favorite and I didn't know that there was a shop nearby. I'm still not familiar with the area."

"Why don't you have _him_ show you around then?" Neji put so much emphasis on it that there was no doubt that Sasuke was the 'him' in mention.

Naruto slid his phone into his pocket before closing the door behind him with a shake of his head. "He's really busy with summer college courses, and when he's not there his brother has him on work-lockdown." He shrugged it off, knowing he was receiving a doubtful stare from the boy, but he didn't want to give off the impression that he was troubled, even though he was. Neji had done his share of looking after Naruto when he first entered Konoha, and that closeness they shared probably made the Hyuuga more aware of the little indications the blond gave off. He quickened his pace towards the door, holding it open for Neji as he walked past to leave no room for uncomfortable questions. He was determined to have a good day.

"That's strange," he finally commented on it as they took their seats at the bar. "As your boyfriend you'd think he'd find the time to at least do that much for you."

"He's not!" Naruto yelped out in embarrassment, feeling his face turn a bright shade of red as he covered his mouth quickly and receiving a couple stares from nearby customers. That word was used so openly, but were they really close enough that it was already implied? "He's not... my boyfriend," he continued in a hushed whisper to avoid the concerned stares they were already receiving. After dodging the questioning by Shikamaru and receiving no acknowledgment from Sasuke, it was the Hyuuga who finally put the predicament out into the open.

"No?" Neji inquired with a raised brow before motioning the waitress over to him. "Odd."

"Why is it odd?" He asked, feeling more nervous but, at the same time, concerned.

"After all the trouble you got into in school and the commotion that's being caused now, those who know about it would only find it natural that you guys would be an item. Now, it would seem as if something happened," he explained as the woman handed them two menus, blushing slightly as she took a second look at Neji.

"Happened?" he mumbled to himself as he thought about Sasuke. He would have to see him long enough for something to 'happen', right? It didn't upset him terribly when he was unable to make it to an audition or anything, but it did seem like Sasuke had remained persistent about dodging the subject and bringing up strange questions about Itachi. How could he approach him about something that was so bizarre to begin with? "Aren't you going to ask what's been going on?"

Neji shrugged as he put down the menu, seeming disinterested in it. "I've been intrusive with you before, Naruto. I think I should give you the chance to decide whether you want me to know something or not."

He frowned as he looked at the list of different flavors. He couldn't concentrate on the words at all and found that he was spending too much time rereading the menu to decide. Putting the paper down as well, Naruto gave a sideways glance to Neji. It had been so long since they had seen each other, but the way they had left it was still good, however awkward. A long time ago he had had feelings for his fellow classmate and the confusion brought on by Sasuke had only frustrated the both of them. He had put the young Hyuuga through so much that he was surprised they were able to salvage what was left of their friendship at the end of it all.

"What have you been doing since you've graduated?" Naruto asked as he began to play with the nearby napkin.

"College," he answered with a shrug, not breaking eye contact with the blond. "All the credits from Konoha have really put me ahead with my course. I've also been intruding on the higher ups of the company."

"Your uncle?" Naruto asked, feeling stupid after receiving the 'you actually have to ask?' stare from Neji.

"He's giving me a chance to present some proposals I've come up with for the company. With Hinata still in school and not looking like a promising leader, they've had no choice but to look to me now."

He couldn't help but smile at the idea that Neji was chasing after something he really wanted. It had been such a problem for him before, but seeing that he was being so ambitious made him swell with happiness. "That's great, Neji!" He couldn't help but cheer as he pulled him into a tight embrace, leaving the Hyuuga dumbfounded, and at a loss for what to do. "I think everything will turn out great for the company if they take you up on your proposal."

"Hopefully it'll do us all some good," he added in a low murmur that Naruto was sure he wasn't supposed to hear. "You're crushing my spine."

"Oh!" He stammered as he pulled away from the Hyuuga who immediately turned to look at the menu on his right, blocking his face from view. "Sorry! That's such great news; I couldn't help myself." He tried to calm himself but he still could not get rid of the grin that was plastered on his face. "Miss! I'll have today's special please!"

The woman stopped in front of him with a friendly smile and nodded before glancing at Neji timidly, "And for you, sir?"

"Nothing," he stated with a bored expression as he pushed the menu away. "I'm not a fan of ramen."

Naruto raised a brow as the woman bowed slightly before going back into the kitchen to put in his order. "Why did you bring me here if you don't like ramen?"

"Shikamaru suggested I take you here," he replied as he held up his phone briefly before putting it in his pocket. "He said you could use some time being out for once."

He smiled at the gesture as he leaned his face into his palms. It was nice to finally let go of that stress, however short lived a peace it would be. Even though it had surprised him and made him overjoyed to see his friend again he could not stop thinking about Sasuke and wondering when he would be able to see him next. It seemed like the more people he interacted with the lonelier he began to feel. If he could just see him one more time this week it should be enough to hold him over until next time.

After exchanging numbers and entrusting Neji with his address and entrance code, Naruto departed and was soon making his way up the stairs of the unsettlingly vacant house. There was still something he needed to do before he went back to the official callbacks. A wave of heat rushed across his face when he remembered how sincere he had been when reciting his poem to Kabuto, and even though he was acting, the kind look he received from the silver haired man was enough to make him feel embarrassed. Now, he had to think of a poem to recite to a lover that wouldn't be there. If there was ever a time for him to put his good acting to use, it was during callbacks.

He closed the door behind him with a deep sigh of relief as he let the cool air of his apartment relax his weary muscles. Though he had not been chased through an alley like before, he still felt as if the day had been rather busy.

"I don't understand why you even have this," a voice called to him from the living room, and he froze for a moment with a hopeful stare.

"Sasuke?" He croaked as he kicked off his shoes and ran to meet the other boy. "What are you talking about?"

"This," Sasuke declared as he pulled another used magazine from the pile that had the headline _Top 20 HOTTEST Men in the Business!_ The cover was a collage of various men who were well-known owners of large corporations, and to the right of it was a clear picture of Sasuke and his brother, Itachi.

"Wha— that wasn't me!" He exclaimed, feeling his face flush all over again as he attempted to snatch the magazine away. "Shikamaru gave it to me as a joke! I didn't even look at it!"

"Oh really?" Sasuke questioned as he swiftly dodged the blond's attempts as he looked at the cover quizzically. "I probably wouldn't have been high on the list anyw—"

"No, you were number four!" _FUCK!_ He slapped his hand over his mouth with a mortified gasp as Sasuke shot him a malicious grin.

"Lucky guess?"

"Shut up, damn bastard!" He hissed as he was finally able to grab the article from him. "I may have skimmed it _once_." _More or less..._ He actually couldn't resist reading any kind of article that had to do with the younger Uchiha. It helped him cope with being away from him for so long. The article itself had incredibly attractive pictures of him as well as Neji who had made enough of an impression to come in 5th, even if they were both only interns. He could feel a frown form on his features when he tossed the magazine and it conveniently fell open to the number one slot. _Uchiha Itachi._ He didn't enjoy those articles so much.

A warm hand suddenly began to stroke at his cheek, drawing his gaze up from the ground and into the very darkness he had to imagine just hours ago. His eyes closed slowly as he felt the warmth of the other's lips press against his softly. A shiver ran down his spine as he leaned forward, instinctively, whining when Sasuke just as quickly pulled away.

"You get worked up so easily," he mocked as he absentmindedly adjusted his tie, leaning against the small table with a smirk.

"Shut up," he muttered before he pulled the older boy from the desk and into a tight hug. He never knew how long he would be able to be with him, and he certainly did not want to think about his older brother any longer than necessary, but the question had to be asked. "How long until you have to work again?"

"Not until tomorrow at the earliest," he answered, making the blond stare up at him skeptically.

"Really?"

"Yes," Sasuke commented just as snidely. "Itachi was called away for an emergency conference with the board, and he will be out of town for at least one night. When he's not there I'm able to get away with a lot more."

"What's the emergency?" He asked curiously, tilting his head in question.

"Just a few..." he hesitated as he seemed to be searching for the right words. _Resources being bought out..? _"… Obstacles that we won't have any trouble getting passed. It's actually taking up a lot of my energy just figuring out what to do."

He felt a pang of guilt begin to eat at his chest as he pushed away from Sasuke and leaned onto the back of the couch. That was also his fault, wasn't it? Itachi told him that another company was threatening to buy them out and they needed the help of the Hyuuga Company through the engagement to merge and ward the others off. All hopes of the Hyuuga's helping them now were completely lost.

"I'm sure everything will turn out fine in the end," he stated as he forced a feeble smile. Now that Sasuke surely knew about it, he was confident that the two genius brothers would be able to ward off their competition together. He had to believe in them.

"How did the callbacks go?" Sasuke asked as he failed to return the soft smile, looking down at the floor with a vaguely readable look of guilt in his eyes.

"Fine, I think," Naruto replied with a shrug. "I'm due back there around seven so I can perform in front of the others too."

"You didn't do it in front of all of them this morning?"

"No, it was just Kabuto-san." He shook his head, remembering how lovingly he had stared into that man's eyes. Even though he was not an actor it was still strange to look at someone else as if they were the ones he should have been speaking to all along. "He thinks I have a pretty good shot. The part they want for me includes another person."

"I'll be there to watch you then," Sasuke cut in with a softer expression and Naruto couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable pull in his chest.

After waiting around for him for so long he was actually going to spend quality time with the older boy. Even though the thought was overwhelming him with joy he couldn't keep his lips from pulling into a reluctant frown. Sasuke noticed immediately, approaching the blond and standing before him with a concerned expression. Naruto shook his head vigorously to assure him that he was alright but he could feel his eyes begin to sting as the tears welled painfully in his eyes.

"What's with you?" Sasuke asked, more concerned about the pained expression than the sudden emotions that Naruto was choosing to act upon.

He shook his head as he buried his face in the cloth of the older boy's shirt. His mind seemed to relax more as he took in the familiar scent and the warmth of his body against his face. There was nothing more comfortable than that and, after yearning for it for so long, he was finally given the chance to be held. Sasuke's arms wrapped around him protectively as they stood in a comfortable silence for a while longer.

"…_those who know about it would only find it natural that you guys would be an item."_

He couldn't help but flinch as Neji's words came ringing back into his ears. He bit his lip quickly before he could manage another grimace and slightly pushed away from the Uchiha. Sasuke looked down at him with a confused gaze, and he knew that if he stayed there he would reveal everything. That wasn't what he wanted. _Besides... In order to have that relationship... he should be able to trust me, right?_ What kind of hypocrite would it make him if he demanded that kind of connection without being completely honest?

As quickly as he could, he walked down the hall and into the darkness of his bedroom. He always kept it this way because when he went in there he enjoyed the darkness and the strange console it brought to him when he lay there alone. Maneuvering his way through the dimness he knelt by his nightstand and opened the drawer.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, having a hard time adjusting to the dark and remaining at the door.

"I just remembered that I have to read another poem today, so I figured I should start looking," he answered with a smile that he knew wasn't visible, but he was hoping that it could be heard well enough to convince the freakishly observant Uchiha.

"Alright," he replied before adding, "now tell me the truth."

He winced, knowing that he should have judged the situation better and not have made his conflict so noticeable to begin with. There was no denying that things were already bad enough as they were. He didn't need to add his petty worries to the mix to make everything so much worse. When he really put forth the effort, things were not always so bad. He couldn't let what Neji said start to weigh on him now. There was still so much good to see.

"That is the truth," he snapped playfully as he held up a small book of poems. "I need to figure out what to recite."

"Is that so?" His question drifted through the air as he finally decided to approach the blond. "Who are you reading it for?"

"Who do you think?"

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><p><strong>AN:** Thank you all for your reviews :D They really motivate me!

:) Enjoy~


	5. Chapter 5

Beta'd by: TheIrisFire who is too awesome for words :D

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><p>"Naruto-kun! Good evening!" Kabuto called out to him with a welcoming grin, no different from hours before. The genuine kindness had not faded from his eyes even in the presence of the two other members beside him. "I'd like you to meet my partners. This is Anko," he said with a gesture to the woman next to him. "And this is Karin." The two women were incredibly attractive though seemed to be way out of his league; one was older and offered him a friendly wave, while the other with vibrantly colored hair completely ignored him.<p>

He took in a deep breath before offering them a friendly smile in return. "It's nice to meet you," he greeted as he made his way towards the small table that was set up in front of the stage, papers scattering the entire surface.

He heard the creaking door echo once more as he glanced back to see Sasuke with a borrowed pullover hoodie and sunglasses enter and quickly seat himself in one of the back rows. The others didn't seem to pay much attention to him and he could feel his grin begin to broaden at the new feeling. Sasuke had never been able to make it to an audition before, so to act in front of him again after so long made him feel almost nervous.

"So, did you bring us another poem?" Kabuto asked as he took his seat in between the two women.

Naruto nodded as he followed the silent gesture towards the stage and climbed on. The stage lights were a lot brighter than they were before, and the heat they radiated reminded him a lot of his past experience. He felt his fingers begin to flex as a worried habit he acquired and he briefly shook the nerves from his arms. "Just let me know when."

After Kabuto had gathered a few more papers in his hands he set them down and rested his chin against his hands as he leaned forward onto the table. He seemed to be the only one who was interested in what the blond had to say, making him the target for those words. He very well couldn't recite a love poem while looking to the back of the theater, but something in the back of his mind told him that he didn't want to see the Uchiha's reaction when he began to recite the words. "Go ahead, Naruto-kun," Kabuto urged him to begin as his gaze turned more determined as he stared into the man's dark eyes.

"Ask me once, the question true 'fore August ember dies," he began as he took a few steps forward to get a better view. Kabuto offered a small smile in reply to this, as if earnestly asking him to continue. "Of all the love I ever knew, reflected in my eyes." He let a frown begin to wear on his features as he let out a wistful sigh. "Turning me from Heaven's view, as times you have before. However scorned, my love, it grew, and still I crave you more." A cynical smile began to play on his lips, earning a mild reaction from the silver-haired man and giving Naruto more confidence to continue. "Ask again, another way, through all the twisted sighs, of all the love I feel today. You'll see it in my eyes."

After letting out another shaky breath and feeling his face begin to burn slightly he stood up straight with a final nod. Kabuto and the two women clapped softly for him and he heard them have a murmuring exchange.

"Naruto-kun, that was beautifully done!" Kabuto was the first to speak as he peered down at the papers before him. "The way you looked at me, it was almost as if it was unrequited love."

He shrugged in reply as his gaze trailed over to the two women who also seemed preoccupied with papers at first. "I think you nailed it kid!" The woman named Anko spoke next while giving him a thumbs-up. Something about her laid back mannerisms seemed to remind him of a certain theater teacher he once had. "It took a lot of courage to put so much feeling into it _while_ looking at someone. I thought it was a nice touch."

"It was quite dazzling, wasn't it?" Karin chimed in with a bored undertone. Her eyes peered up at him lazily as she rested her chin in her palm. "Anyone can read a poem, but it does take a level of talent to read one well and convey the message. Your eyes really did hold in the emotion, though."

Naruto could feel a smile begin to spread across his face, feeling more relieved now that he was able to hear from the other women. "T-thank you!"

Kabuto stood from his seat with a long stretch, reaching up for the ceiling with a tired yawn. "Well ladies, I think the thought of Naruto filling in the slot is unanimous?" This earned short nods from the others. "Congratulations, Naruto-kun."

_I made the cut?_ A sigh of immediate relief was released as he felt the rest of his muscles begin to relax. "Thank you! It means so much to me!"

"Would you like to meet your partner for the next few weeks?"

"Yes!" he replied excitedly, hearing footsteps sound from behind him.

"I'm so glad to see so much enthusiasm," a gentle voice soon followed and Naruto turned his head to look, completely freezing in place with his gaze locked. He wanted to form some sort of reply, but he was too awestruck by the approaching girl's beauty to do anything other than gape. She had long black hair that flowed behind her gracefully and a fair pale face that held the kindest eyes he had ever gazed into.

"Naruto-kun, this is Haku. He will be playing Marianne, your love interest."

_IT'S A GUY?_ He tried to maintain a calm expression as if he had known that all along, but the news was too shocking for him to be able to contain the surprise and he put a hand over his mouth to hide the astonishment. It wasn't so much about the fact that his love interest was a guy, but the fact that he was feminine enough to make him believe otherwise. Haku held out his hand with a soft smile as Naruto tried to get a hold of his emotions.

"Don't worry, I get that a lot," he said with a reassuring tone which made him feel slightly guilty for thinking that it was funny. "I heard your poem from backstage; it was quite beautiful."

"It's the first time I've had to read a poem for other people," he admitted with a shy shrug as he reached out to take hold of Haku's hand. It was as soft as he would have imagined it to be, and his grip was just as gentle.

"There is a reason for that, Naruto-kun," Kabuto chimed in as he hopped onto the stage with a packet in his hand. "The script that you will be reciting with Haku is actually all in rhyme, like a long drawn out poetic exchange."

"Really?" Naruto questioned as he was handed his script and took the chance to look over the first few lines. "That's... interesting."

"So you see, we needed someone who could convey emotion well while still being able to recite rhyme as beautifully as you do."

"I'm looking forward to working with you," Haku stated with another complacent smile that still seemed so stunning that Naruto found himself at another loss for words. This boy was _ridiculously_ pretty. "Um... Naruto?"

"Huh? Yes?" He questioned as he tried to shake himself from the slight daze he was in.

"You can let go of my hand, now."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, feeling his face start to burn with a blush that spread to his ears. It was easy to lose track of thought or actions when he had been so easily charmed by this other boy, and that made him feel like a complete loser!

"It's not a problem," he laughed it off as he waved his hand in reassurance. "I would like to get to know you better if I am going to be working with you, though."

"Really?"

"Of course," he replied and it took all his willpower to keep listening to the words being spoken and not the obvious physical appeal. "We could meet at the front of the campus tomorrow after I get out of my last class at two?"

"Sounds great," he mumbled with a crooked grin, unable to react more gracefully when his mind became so flustered. The loud slamming of the theater doors snapped his attention back fully and Naruto's gaze was quickly drawn to the seats behind him, which were, now, completely empty. _Oh... Shit!_ "I have to go, actually!" He gasped hurriedly as he jumped off the edge of the stage.

"Where are you going, Naruto-kun?" Kabuto followed after him, trying to keep up with Naruto as he sprinted down the aisle.

"I think my ride is about to leave so I'll have to meet up with you tomorrow if you'd like!"

"But—"

He pushed the doors closed behind him before he could hear anything else. He didn't need Kabuto seeing him get into a car with Sasuke in it; that explanation was one he would rather live without. The streetlights had already turned on and illuminated the streets with a bright white glow that was different from the sun, but still somehow masked the fact that it was night through the luminous haze they created. Tires screeched lightly as a glossy black car pulled up to the curb, making the blond jump with a frightened gasp.

"Get in," Sasuke ordered as soon as the door opened but still not waiting for a reply as he took hold of his hand and pulled Naruto in.

"Hey! Wait a second! You have to give me a chance to move for myself!" He complained as the door was shut behind him and the vehicle resumed driving down the street. "What's with you leaving all of a sudden anyway?"

"I came to watch you act, not flirt with everyone else in the room," the raven stated with apparent disinterest as his eyes remained fixated on the scenery outside of his window.

Naruto was left completely speechless as he tried to fully register what Sasuke had just said. Flirting with everyone in the room? Did he mean Kabuto and Haku? When he actually thought about it, it would have seemed like flirting with the way he reacted to Haku during their meeting. But he couldn't help it; he admired things that were as pretty as that boy was. He fidgeted with his fingers nervously as he glanced at the older boy with a frown. But didn't he know that no one else compared to him?

Sasuke's beauty far exceeded anyone he had ever seen. He was truly a rose that bloomed in a field of daisies. Sure, he'd come to admire the fragrance or the simple beauty of a single daisy, but it would never compare to the charms of the rose. It was elegant and far more attractive than any other, and he would never be drawn to anything else like he was to it. He felt the heat flush his face once more as he thought about how silly he'd feel if he tried to recite such a thing to Sasuke; would he find it weird? But what was he supposed to do? _Is he... jealous?_ That was a question worth exploring. Was the Uchiha capable of being jealous of the attention he was giving to others, and was there a way to test it?

"So... I went to lunch with Neji today."

"You what?" Sasuke snapped so suddenly that the blond jumped, flinching before the dark glare.

"We ran into each other and he took me out and treated me to ramen. It was nice to see an old friend, you know?" The evident furrow on the other boy's brow made it perfectly clear that the meeting, to him, was anything but _nice_. Before he could add anything more to the conversation, Sasuke rolled his eyes and stared back out the window with a stiffer posture than before. _That must have really upset him…_

_Well, this is new._ He thought as his fingers fidgeted with more anxiety. He didn't actually mean to disturb Sasuke; he simply wanted to observe whether or not he could be moved by sudden jealousy. It had been a while since they had last been together for such a long period of time that he wasn't sure how to handle or approach a situation like this. What was he supposed to do?

"I'm sorry," Naruto mumbled as he nuzzled into Sasuke's pale neck. He could feel the other boy's muscles tense as his lips moved against his skin. "I didn't mean to make you angry."

"I'm not angry," Sasuke stated stiffly as he leaned toward the window, putting little distance between them.

The blond frowned as he failed to even get the Uchiha to spare him a small glance. In a way, he felt uneasy for being so close and making such advances on the boy he was supposed to be... involved with. It shouldn't have felt too daring. After doing the things they had done and conquering the obstacles they had, he should have been entitled to that closeness. But Sasuke was the one that had been so eager to have that intimacy when he first arrived. What was changing?

He could feel the redness start to warm his face as he realized that he was having such thoughts. _Come on... Treat me like I'm someone special to you._

Another moment passed as the gentle whoosh of cars whipped passed their ears. Sasuke continued to glare out the window as if nothing had happened at all. The blond sat back for a moment with his own sullen thoughts. _If I can't do anything... Will we drift apart?_ He shook his head with a much more determined expression. He glanced at the black barrier that shielded them from the driver's view before he could gather enough courage to try again.

"I... wasn't flirting..." he mumbled after another moment of indecision.

"Oh? My mistake. I didn't realize that you act so forward with everyone you meet. I wonder how the Hyuuga faired after an afternoon with you."

"What?" He exclaimed, feeling all the more awkward and embarrassed. "Neji is my friend! And I'm glad I got to see him since summer started. Who knows when I'll see him next?"

"You shouldn't have to worry since he seems eager to seek you out."

"That's not fair! You don't even know what happened!"

"A boy that you had a sickening crush on not that long ago took you out to lunch." Was that how Sasuke saw it? He couldn't imagine that Naruto could regard him as a friend as well, regardless of how he initially felt about the Hyuuga?

"That's better than—" his mind was ready to say it, and almost did. But it seemed, unconsciously, his hand was more aware of the damage he could have caused by running his mouth, and it came up to silence him before he could say any more. But that wasn't enough to mask his words' intent.

Sasuke's eyes flashed to him with an infuriated glare, making the younger boy shrink back to the next seat over.

"I... didn't mean..."

"Yes you did."

"I didn't!"

"Then what _did_ you mean?" his question bit sharply at Naruto, and he sank back even more.

"I just... I haven't seen you for so long... And I'm always so happy to see you, but I get..."

"Distracted?"

"Lonely," he admitted, letting his gaze drop to his knees. "I naturally seek out comfort..."

The glare softened noticeably, but the raven continued to lean forward. Naruto leaned back as far as he could until his shoulders pressed into the coolness of the glass window. His breath hitched into his throat as he tried to calm his nerves before he broke down completely. He didn't want Sasuke to see him this way; it was never his intention to make his discomfort noticeable.

"Sasuke..." he mumbled as he closed his eyes to regain focus. "I'm sorr—mmf!"

Unable to finish his sentence, the blond's arms were immediately seized before he was pulled into a forceful kiss. The older boy's tongue muffled the apology, demanding a response as Naruto found he was too bewildered to react. He was dragged forward just to be pushed back onto the seats with a stifled groan as the powerful grip on his arms quickly disappeared and Sasuke's hands worked their way up his buttoned shirt.

"Sas—mmn—wait a—ah!" he gasped with a nervous flinch as the other's fingers gently brushed against his nipples, lifting his shirt almost all the way up.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," the whisper was husky, and sent shivers down the blond's spine as the other's warm lips quickly went to work on his neck. "I didn't realize you felt the same as me..." Naruto tilted his head with a low mewl of approval, his nails digging into the upholstery as the raven continued. "You always seemed so sure."

"No I—mnn... Sasuke...!" he gasped for air with a trembling breath as the pale digits caressed his bare skin, grazing the area just above his belt, making his arousal seem much more obvious.

"I missed this," he purred against Naruto's ear before he ran his tongue against the blond's jaw.

"Sasuke!" he whined dizzily as his hands gripped onto the Uchiha's shirt. Their weights were being shifted as the car started to drive perceptibly slower. They must have arrived sooner than he thought, but he didn't want the moment to end.

"I've missed you..."

The words struck at him with an unwarranted pain that immediately brought tears to his eyes. His chest felt even heavier with a painful pressure that only intensified when his eyes gazed into those frighteningly dark hues.

"I've missed you too..."

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><p><strong>AN:** I want my cake for the last chapter by the way XD

Thank you, all those who took the time to review :) You rock. Have a cookie! *offers plate of cookies*

The next one should be out fairly soon. :3

_Fun Fact#1:_ The poem he read was actually written by me.

_Fun Fact#2:_ I feel really lame for telling you that XD

Ja~


	6. Chapter 6

Beta'd by: TheIrisFire!

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><p>Even when they had their moments where Naruto felt pure bliss, there was something that always tore him away from the light... or rather, tore the light away from him...<p>

"When I said you had become distracted, I hadn't actually meant it... usuratonkachi." His voice was finally heard faintly from the other side of the door, despite the fact that the rain continued to buzz in his ears.

His hands clenched as he pressed his forehead into the wooden door, biting his lip to keep from sobbing. That wasn't it at all; he never thought that he would lose control so quickly. His eyes never strayed away from what he wanted...

"I was never distracted..." he croaked hoarsely, not even able to recognize his own voice. Wincing at the pain that ached his entire body, he continued to stare through the door, hoping to reach the other boy somehow. "I just... trusted too blindly..."

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><p><strong>6 Days Earlier<strong>

"Why does he do this?" Naruto shouted earnestly as he followed Sasuke down the hall. The sleepiness still clouded his vision as he tried to focus on one thought at a time, but he was too dazed to concentrate. Sasuke grunted something incomprehensible as he finished buttoning up his shirt before making his way down the stairs.

"Sasuke!"

"Why do you think he does this, Naruto?" he shot back, actually stopping to look back up at the blond with mild curiosity. The question carried an icy tone that almost dared him to answer, as if taunting him somehow.

Naruto halted almost immediately, wishing he hadn't brought the topic up at all. He stared into the Uchiha's dark hues before averting his gaze to the ground as he spoke. "H-how should I know that? He's... your brother; you should know."

There was a brief pause before Sasuke continued his descent as he added, "I guess there are just some things that are going to remain a mystery then."

He nearly choked on his own breath, but before he could utter a reply the front door had already shut. _Why... did he say that?_ There was something about that statement that made him think back to Shikamaru's warning. But if he had any idea about what had happened with Itachi then wouldn't he have approached Naruto already? The blond shook his head sullenly as he leaned into the railing. Of course not; that was supposed to be _his_ job after all.

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><p>"I'm sorry that took so long, Naruto-kun," Haku greeted him with an apologetic smile. "I got caught up talking to an instructor and lost track of the time."<p>

"I never thought that someone would actually _want_ to stay in the classroom any longer than necessary," he joked with a short wave as the pale boy approached him.

"Zabuza-sensei is someone that I can talk to as more than just a teacher," he proclaimed with a bit more fervor than the complacency he had shown before. "I would do anything to go beyond his expectations."

Naruto smiled weakly at the small declaration of determination this boy also had. In a way, he felt as if he could relate to the feeling of wanting to please the ones he cared about. "Well, then I forgive you for being late."

Haku shook his head as he began to walk towards a small grassy area of the campus where some students were sitting in the shade. Naruto couldn't help but smile upon remembrance of a year of lying in the grass with his friends at Konoha, yet this place wasn't so different. If only he knew more people and hadn't been so quick to close himself off from the world, but it was too late to regret his choices. Now that the public eye was on a frantic search for him and his familiars it was easier to remain a loner in a sea of strangers. But despite that, he met some really nice people, and in the midst of the discomfort he felt in his stomach it offered him a temporary comfort that could distract him from the empty walls that awaited him back home.

"I wasn't asking for forgiveness. I was simply informing you."

The way this boy spoke was with the gentlest tone he had heard from anybody, yet it still left him clinging to every word. Somehow, he knew that he would be able to enjoy his time with Haku, even if he wasn't used to working with anyone else when it came to acting. The new experience that this boy offered was like a breath of fresh air. "So, when is the big show?"

"Not until the end of the month," the other answered as he took a seat in direct sunlight, glowing radiantly as he set his school supplies at his side. "But I like to have everything prepared in advance. Kabuto-san will also be checking up on our progress."

"Kabuto-san? Really?" He asked with more enthusiasm as he couldn't help but smile at the thought of the kind man. "I'm glad I'll get to see him more before the actual rehearsals."

"He really is a nice man," Haku explained, his eyes drifting closed as he tilted his head toward the sun. Something about that warmth must have comforted the pale boy, in a way, but Naruto was too mesmerized to figure it out. "He is a transfer student who just very recently got involved with theater, but he is doing such a good job already. Everyone appreciates his help."

Naruto nodded as he leaned back onto his hands, allowing himself to be warmed by the sun's rays in order to calm himself a bit more. Even when he was supposed to be having a good time he could not think of anything other than Sasuke having to leave so early in the morning. Of course Itachi would be breathing down his neck the second he returned from his meeting, but it felt as if things were getting out of hand. Sasuke was exhausted, and in and out of work so much that it was unnatural even for a regular working man. There had to be something he could do, but what chance did he have against the older Uchiha who pulled all the strings? _Damnit..._

"You seem troubled, Naruto-kun."

"Huh?" He managed, his eyes fluttering open to look at the other boy.

"Something on your mind?"

"Oh! Not at all!" He tried to laugh jokingly to pass it off as if he had only been daydreaming, but he could feel the frown wearing on his features. "So! Do you have a copy of our script? I forgot mine at home." _Because I was in such a hurry to get the hell out..._

"You seem dedicated," the other boy commented with a soft chuckle as he dug a small paper booklet from his bag. "I like that in a partner."

"You seem to have experience too!" Another voice chimed in before they were quickly joined by the familiar silver-haired student.

"Kabuto-san?" Haku questioned, though not seeming too surprised. "Your classes are done for the day as well?"

"Fortunately enough," he replied with a nervous laugh. "One more second in that lecture and I was sure to pass out! I'm glad I got to run into the two of you, though."

"We just got done talking about you, actually," Naruto replied, trying to avoid the man's memorable stare. Something about looking at Kabuto made him feel uneasy, making him remember how he had stared into his eyes in the beginning. "It's amazing how you do so well in the theater department without any experience."

"When you're naturally good at something, experience doesn't really matter," the silver haired man chuckled lightheartedly. "Speaking of experience. Where did you start off, Naruto-kun? You also have a natural talent but you must have discovered it somewhere."

The blond smiled nervously, glancing between the two expressions that awaited his answer. "I never thought about theater before I went to Konoha. In fact, I was dreading the entire experience because the thought had never occurred to me, so I thought I would be left behind just like all my other classes." He paused as he thought about the familiar faces that seemed so distant to his memory. "But I made some really great friends who were encouraging, and an insane theater teacher that wouldn't take no for an answer. And things were kind of thrust upon me at that point so I went with it and ended up being really good. It's kind of grown on me. When I act it brings back a very important memory to me."

He stared at the blades of grass beside his hand, trying to focus on the fine details of his surroundings, but his mind seemed to constantly backtrack. Ever since that morning his thoughts scattered to so many different memories that he found himself longing for. He hoped that getting out of the house and seeing new people would help him forget about Konoha and how much he missed his friends, his home, his comfort. But it didn't seem like a likely escape anymore.

"That's beautiful, Naruto-kun," Haku finally interrupted his disturbing thoughts with a gentle smile that seemed to calm his nerves. He continued to stare into Haku's coffee brown eyes, feeling the uncomfortable tension throughout his body begin to ease. Maybe he didn't have to look to the past to find relief. "People usually find their passion merely because they are good at it, but it seems this does so much more for you."

"Not to mention that seeing you act is heartwarming in itself," Kabuto adding with a nod. "I knew that there was something special about you. I have a good feeling about our 'Evening of Theater' now!"

Naruto let out an embarrassed chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. He actually hadn't meant to reveal so much about himself, but when he felt so nostalgic and comfortable around such kind people he couldn't help but put himself in that state of mind. "You guys are giving me too much credit, but I will do my very best!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Kabuto chimed in with a pat to the blond's shoulder. His enthusiasm was so contagious that Naruto found himself forgetting about how troubled he had felt earlier and more determined to put his mind to work. "If you boys will excuse me, I have to make some calls and get to work before Karin catches me slacking off."

"Good luck, Kabuto-san," Haku added with a wave of farewell as the man darted toward the other side of the campus. "Shall we get started?"

"Give me a second," Naruto yawned with a long gratifying stretch as he fell back onto the grass. It had been a while since he had been out in the open for so long, and the fact that it was such a familiar setting was putting his mind more at ease. He let his eyes drift to a close as he inhaled the crisp scent of the grass, letting nostalgia weave into his thoughts.

"_If you don't make an attempt then you're never going to learn!" She grouched as they both fell back onto the grass in exasperation._

_Naruto glared at the girl jokingly with a slight pant. The sun was beaming down on them, draining whatever energy he could muster just to stay focused. "Riddle me this, Sakura... How am I supposed to transfer this waltz that you're having me learn on the grass to a completely flat and pristine dancing hall?"_

"_You gotta learn somewhere!" Kiba added from the shade just a few feet away; Lee and Tenten nodded in agreement. _

"_And if you can learn it here," Sakura explained with a knowing wave of her pale and slender index finger, "you'll be able to waltz anywhere."_

_The blond shook his head with another sigh as he fell back onto the grass, letting the scent stick to his dampened skin as he allowed their chatter to drown out the world around him. It was the little moments like these that he was being given to look back upon. He would always remember them._

"Naruto-kun!"

His eyes shot open as the wind was suddenly kicked out of him, making him roll to his side with a pained grunt as another tall figure came crashing down into him. The force crushed him into the ground, too winded to shout in pain as the stranger rolled off of him.

"Are you okay?" Haku's voice was heard somewhere in the distance, but his eyes were moving too frantically to pinpoint his location. Instead, he came in contact with the most unfeeling pale green gaze he had ever encountered.

Naruto forced himself to sit up, gasping for air while unable to pry his eyes away from the stranger that continued to glare at him. He had short, spiky red hair which was more vibrant in contrast to the dark and muted colors he wore. His skin was pale, which made the green in his eyes stand out even more, which was almost terrifying. "I- I'm sorry..." he managed to croak softly, feeling a hand press firmly against his back to support him.

"Gaara!" A girl shouted from across the campus, running up to meet them with a panic stricken expression as she knelt down by the other boy. "Are you okay?"

The boy known as Gaara brushed the blonde woman away without a word as he stood up straight, wiping the blades of grass from his clothes. "What an inconvenient doormat," he stated to no one in particular, but there was no doubt that Naruto was the supposed doormat.

The blond couldn't help but frown at the resentful statement, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu as he retorted, "Maybe if your head wasn't stuck up your ass you would have seen me lying there. It's broad daylight, look where you're going."

"Naruto," Haku tried to shush him with his own hushed whisper and a swift pat on the back. Something about that was also familiar, trying to be silenced in the presence of another individual. _This doesn't feel eerie at all..._

The other boy's eyes glanced up at him in mild curiosity before just as quickly looking back down at his shirt to search for remaining grass. There was something familiar yet completely off-putting about his mannerisms; it must have been the scowl that never once lifted since they first came in contact. Maybe he shouldn't have reacted so heatedly. It _was_ his fault that the stranger fell over, however absurd the circumstances.

Naruto looked to Haku briefly for affirmation before heaving an annoyed sigh. "I'm... sorry."

"Consider your apology rejected," the blonde woman replied curtly with a sudden glare, making Naruto gape in bewilderment that she even interjected at all. Gaara had already begun to walk away, letting her finish their conversation for him before she began to follow suit.

"I wasn't talking to you!" He shot back, feeling his fists clench as he let the experience of the situation control his actions rather than the sound reason of his mind.

"Gaara has more important things to do than converse with doormats," she commented snidely with the slightest hint of a smirk curving the sides of her lips as they continued to walk ahead.

"Naruto-kun," Haku called to him as the blond stood to walk after them at a brisk pace. "Just drop it; it's not worth your time."

"How about you have this pretentious asshole tell me that_ himself_!" He growled, brushing passed the woman as he was able to grab onto the redhead's shoulder, swinging him around and receiving a reaction he hadn't expected at all. Shock.

Of all the things he was prepared to encounter, whether a punch to the face or a form of hostility, the look of utter bafflement left him in a deeper state of perplexity as he stood awkwardly awaiting some sort of response. The woman looked surprised as well, her eyes remaining on Gaara as he continued to stare at the blond with a puzzled expression. "What do you want?" The sudden question made him jump, still expecting to be suckerpunched at any moment.

"It..." he stammered awkwardly with another glance to Haku before he forced himself to stare straight into the other's listless gaze. "It pisses me off when people can't speak for themselves, or accept someone's apology to them... So..." He trailed off, not knowing how to react to the unblinking stare. "I'm sorry..."

The silence was quick to instill immediate discomfort, leaving no room for a discrete exit as they continued to stare at each other. What was with this kid?

"Come on, Naruto-kun," Haku spoke while tugging at the blond's sleeve. "We have lines to rehearse."

"Y-yeah," he answered with a tired nod as he let himself be led back to their spot, unable to forget Gaara's reaction to something that he would have normally been enraged at. It was strange to say the least, but something about the way they interacted for such a brief period was almost natural, in a way.

Or maybe he was just thinking too much.

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><p><strong>AN:** School is over... So WHY do I feel so busy? DX

Actually my friends have been dragging me all over the place and I am rarely ever home "OTL

But now I have a second so here you go! :D


	7. Chapter 7

Beta'd by: ScytheofChaos :3 thanks

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><p>"Marry the man! That's my advice to you!"<p>

"That's your advice?" Shikamaru asked, unable to change his tone from his usual indifference.

Naruto glanced up from the booklet with a huffish pout. "Don't sound too broken up about it, _Marianne_!"

"I'm not an actor, Naruto," the brunette retorted with a roll of his eyes as he tossed his cue cards to the ground. "It's better just to ask Haku."

"I want to practice so that the next time we meet I'll be more ahead. He's already memorized half of the scene!" the blond cried out in frustration as he threw his lines into the air, hearing them land on the coffee table. There was no way in hell he was going to engage in a scene when his partner was so disinterested.

"There's no need to impress the guy. He's just another theater kid."

"He's more than that," he grumbled as he leaned back into the couch, closing his eyes in order to clear his head. "He's a good person that puts a lot of effort and determination into what he does!"

The night had been unnervingly quiet, and he was glad that his friend could make it to him so early in the morning, but there was still an underlying feeling of anxiety that refused to let up in the back of his mind. Sasuke hadn't contacted him since he had left the previous morning, and the tension that he left behind still lingered in the air. It was a suffocating stillness that he remembered from so long ago but, this time, it had him debating on whether or not he should tell him about Itachi.

_Would it even matter? We weren't even together at that point..._

"You have the worst poker face, you know that right?"

"Huh?" he questioned as his attention snapped back to his friend. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you don't try to hide the fact that something is _obviously_ bothering you."

"It's nothing," he lied with a quick shake of his head. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what Shikamaru would say about the thought of confessing what happened to Sasuke; he didn't want to be warned of possible consequences. The last thing he needed were the words of doubt that would only intensify his own insecurities. "I'm just psyching myself out a bit much over this Evening of Theater. This is my first acting gig that is outside of Konoha, so it's kind of a big deal to me."

"If you say so," Shikamaru mumbled tiredly before stretching out along the couch and making himself comfortable. His tone implied that he knew that there was something more, and Naruto was grateful for the fact that his friend was never one to pry too deep when he didn't have to. He was never sure if that trait was out of courtesy or laziness, but he was thankful nonetheless.

Before he could change the subject to ask what his friend wanted for dinner, there was a loud buzzing that sounded from the coffee table under the packet of lines that he had cast aside. Naruto glanced at Shikamaru with a puzzled look before reaching over and looking at his phone that declared that he had a new text message from a number he had never seen before.

"_Hey! It's Kabuto! Got your number from your info sheet! Can you make it to the campus today? We'd like to get some rehearsal in since another act was cancelled for today."_

"Well your attitude changed suddenly," Shikamaru pointed out, revealing that even in such a lazy state he was still able to observe the blond without any trouble at all. "Good news from your boyfriend?"

"That's not funny," Naruto muttered with a roll of his eyes as his fingers moved awkwardly against the touch screen to formulate a reply.

"_Ya! I'll b rite there!_"

"Looks like I actually have plans for the day."

"Don't mind me. I'm just the background noise," Shikamaru added with a grunt as he managed to push himself off the couch before Naruto jumped up and ran to his room to grab a clean shirt. "Has Prince Haku demanded you presence?"

"No!" he shouted back defensively, pulling an orange t-shirt over his head. "Kabuto wants me to head over there, so of course I'll want to get there as soon as possible."

"Yeah yeah," the brunette sighed with a dismissive wave of his hand as he followed the blond out the door. "I had to go to my internship this afternoon anyway."

"Could you do me another favor?" Naruto asked as they quickly slipped into the black car that sat in wait for them. Shikamaru raised a brow to indicate that he was listening while he fastened his seatbelt. "Could you drop me off down the street from the school? I think it would be easier for me to blend in that way without having such a nice car drop me off all the time."

"Interesting," the other boy smirked, "I never took you as one who could plan ahead very well.

"Shut up."

He had managed to survive the morning without having Shikamaru ask him such difficult questions. He had never taken the time to realize before, but it was incredibly difficult to keep himself busy when his friend was around. His apathetic nature made it seem so inviting to just relax, and when that happened he felt more at ease and inclined to talk about everything that was bothering him. But Naruto was trying not to think about that, even when he knew he would have to face it eventually. Maybe talking to Shikamaru could have renewed his confidence, but he was too focused on keeping his spirits up. When he stepped out onto the sidewalk, he looked back to his friend who had already fallen asleep against the window. Naruto couldn't help but smile before shutting the door; he was glad that he had someone close enough to him that was willing to do so much for him.

It was a lot more than he could say about Sasuke... The blond felt himself begin to frown before he started his walk down the block towards the Suna campus. In the emptiness of those lonely nights his thoughts would echo into the air, repeating themselves and wearing on his patience and his assurance. They made him feel uncomfortable in his own skin, and he would lie awake into the late hours of the night before the anxiety finally exhausted him. When would it be time to say that enough was enough and demand a little more of Sasuke? Was that even fair? Could he do that? The younger Uchiha had enough on his plate as it was. He was almost constantly under his brother's surveillance while he worked an ungodly amount of hours while still managing to keep up with his summer courses and maintaining a, however unstable, relationship with a boy that had caused a national scandal in the business world. It was probably safe to say that he was in no position to start demanding answers or forcing such stressful things onto Sasuke.

But how much of this could Naruto really take? Was he Sasuke's boyfriend or not? And did Sasuke really care to take the relationship that far? Did he suspect that there was some strange connection with him and Itachi already? The questions persisted relentlessly, making him begin to doubt himself even more. Why did it have to become so difficult when he thought that the worst had been over? At one point, finding out that he was in love with the Uchiha had been his biggest obstacle, but he hadn't thought that there would be even more that they would have to overcome.

Random chatter began to interrupt his thoughts as he approached the campus entrance. There was something about the extra background noise that made it easier for him to forget about his problems. When so many different voices drowned out the sound of his own doubts it was like a temporary escape from his mind. Needless to say, he was thankful for it.

Before he could pass the open gates, a hand reached out and pulled him aside from the entrance, keeping the blond confused until he was finally able to free his arm. "What the hell gives?"

"Who are you?" the tone was languid, but had a sense of urgency that also threw the boy off when he looked into the familiar green eyes from yesterday. Gaara.

"Who the hell wants to know?" He snapped, though feeling more uneasy as he was trapped in the lifeless gaze.

"Answer the question."

"Where is your body guard? I thought you were too good for a doormat like me," he retorted bitterly, remembering the comments that had made his temper flare.

"That's not important."

"It is to me."

"You're avoiding the question," Gaara stated with a slightly inquisitive frown. There was something incredibly different from the arrogance of the previous day that Naruto hadn't expected to dissipate overnight. Why was he being so different?

"I..." he stammered clumsily while trying to maintain eye contact. "I'm not..."

A light screech of car brakes sounded, making Naruto jump before he could answer the strange boy. It was a familiar black luxury car that had pulled up right beside him on the curb. The blond raised a confused brow as the back door opened in silence, not waiting for the chauffer to get out and open the door himself.

"What is it, Shika—"

"Naruto-kun," a man stated plainly in greeting. "It has been so long."

Words shattered as he tried desperately to conjure enough breath to form some kind of response but his lungs felt as if they had collapsed completely. The older Uchiha had stepped from the car so casually that he had almost expected it to be Shikamaru even after Itachi had already spoken. He was in a dark blue long sleeve shirt that wasn't tucked into his dark slacks. He hadn't changed in the slightest since the last time he had seen him almost a year ago. His face was still pale yet flawless with piercing dark eyes that still seemed slightly tired; his black hair still fell to the sides of his face while the rest was thrown back into a loose ponytail. Leave it to an Uchiha to not have to try and still manage to be breathtaking.

"I—Itachi?" He murmured under his breath.

"Get in the car." The command dropped with no hint of suggestion or care for whatever Naruto had planned otherwise.

The blond looked back to Gaara whose eyes were wide with shock in the presence of such a display. Someone so important looking was taking the time to talk to Naruto, of all people; how was he supposed to tell the redhead that he was just a regular guy after this?

"My name is Naruto," he breathed shakily, still unsure of what to do. He could have refused the older brother's demand and gotten away just fine, but something about that decision seemed to warn him that the consequences would be much worse if he tried to run away from Itachi. What was the worst that could happen?

"I will not repeat myself," Itachi added, his voice was so gentle which was one of his more deceiving characteristics. Of course he would not approach what he wanted with aggression or unnecessary hostility. He was much too coy for that. Without another word, the older man ducked back into the car, leaving Naruto with Gaara for a few more interrupted moments.

"You shouldn't go with that man," Gaara stated suddenly, his eyes turned to a harsh glare into the blackness of the car.

"I don't think I have a choice," Naruto replied with a shaky breath, looking to the other boy for some sort of comfort when just before he had seen him as an object of resentment. Could even some random stranger tell that Itachi was not one to be trusted? "Gaara, right?"

He nodded.

"I'm sorry for earlier. You asked who I was..."

"I know now."

Naruto shook his head, trying to force down the unpleasant thoughts of nasty headlines and bright flashes from the paparazzi. "I'm just Naruto. Nothing more, nothing less. Or maybe... I'm just a doormat..." It was a shame that he couldn't have stayed to find out Gaara's true motives, but he didn't want to keep Itachi waiting either. Without another word or a second glance, he stepped into the car hoping that Kabuto would be able to forgive him for never showing up.

He shut the door with a nervous flinch as the car immediately pulled away from Suna University, and he was now alone with the last person he had ever wanted to see. His eyes remained fixated on his hands that were clasped tightly and set firmly on his knees. "What do you want?" He was surprised that the question had come from him and in such a harsh tone as well.

"Calm down, Naruto-kun," Itachi's words were cold and uninviting to hear, making him want to oblige the Uchiha's request. Yet, there was still something about the older man that still captivated him the way his younger brother did. _What is it with these genius families?_

He didn't have the right to tell Naruto to calm down. How could he calm the hell down? Did Itachi even know who he was? Who, in their right mind, would be able to think clearly and rationally in his presence? He had to be doing this on purpose; he must have known how utterly terrified Naruto was to be sitting in the same car with him.

"H-how... did you find me?" He mumbled feebly.

"That is not the most pressing matter at the moment," he replied, making the blond glance at him, inadvertently. His dark eyes were fixed on him and it was so intimidating that Naruto felt himself become paralyzed. How were things like this within Itachi's capabilities? He was able to roam free to do as he pleased while he worked his little brother, who he was supposed to care for unconditionally, to the breaking point. "I believe you and I have other things to discuss."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Naruto snapped, trying to find the courage to pull away from Itachi's gaze, but to no avail.

"Is that so?" The question had a more sardonic suggestion, making the Uchiha raise a dark brow slightly and Naruto shudder. He hadn't taken the time to notice, but the space between them had soon gotten narrow, and the pressure that was building up inside his chest was almost too painful to bear.

"I-it's not my fault!"

"I am not fond of liars."

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><p><strong>AN:** Not gonna lie... I've been busy being a lazy bum X3 I go to work, come home, have friends over and play MVC3 or watch anime. I also went to comicon. XDD But I guess none of those things are a real excuse for why this took so long. "orz My bad ._.

And holy crap there are a lot of you without accounts o_O

Until next time.

Ciao~


	8. Chapter 8

Beta'd by: ScytheofChaos

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><p>"You left it up to me to decide!" Try as he did, Naruto could not keep the panic from his voice as he tried to plead with the older Uchiha. He was already past the point of regretting stepping foot into a situation where he could not simply walk away or ignore the disturbing presence next to him. It was as if he was slowly being suffocated and was merely too weak to do anything about it. It was beyond irritating.<p>

"A momentary lapse in judgment that I am not likely to make a second time," Itachi commented dryly, his gaze was still as intense as before, making the younger boy stiffen at his words. Whenever the older brother spoke it felt as if there was always a high level of significance to his tone that made Naruto cling to every remark; perhaps that would be his greatest downfall in the situation. "I left it to you to decide what was best for him. However, it would seem that even you do not know what that is."

"Marrying a girl he doesn't love was not what was best for him! You have to let him decide that for himself!" Somehow, that fact alone didn't resound with as much conviction as he had hoped it would. He had to find his way back to that year that had started everything. He could clearly remember the melancholy that his friends had been cast under due to a selfish business proposal. No matter how he looked at it, there was no justification for an arranged marriage!

"Because leaving him with a shattered empire was the better choice, correct?" Itachi interrupted, unperturbed by the blond's outburst. "There was a simple and logical solution set in front of you and, not only did you adamantly reject it, but you distorted the futures of, not one, but two heirs of powerful corporations. How do you think the world views you, now?"

Naruto pursed his lips together, not wanting to reply to the bitter sarcasm that took a direct stab to his chest, leaving his body feeling as if it were becoming numb. "There was nothing simple about the choices you had given me. You offered yourself to me without knowing what it should have meant. I was not about to choose you and let Sasuke become miserable!" Itachi had thrown himself into the equation as if the answer should have been obvious. How could he have made the right decision when he wasn't sure of what he felt at the time?

"Is he not miserable?" Itachi inquired with a mocking curiosity that made his eyes seem that much crueler. He truly was a figure steeped in shadows, but Naruto knew that it was never his intention to be. As angry as he wished he could bring himself to be, he knew that everything Itachi did was a well thought out plan to ensure that Sasuke had a successful future, and the blond was not supposed to be a part of it.

But, he had known all along what Sasuke's future with him would bring. Itachi had told Naruto what the consequences would be if he chose to be with his younger brother, but he completely ignored those warnings as if they didn't matter. Where had that gotten them?

_What has his future become now that I'm a part of it?_

He couldn't remember the last time he had really seen Sasuke smile, or heard him laugh, which was a rare occasion on its own. The only face he could imagine was one that was furrowed with inhibition and exhaustion, a voice that was dull and forced, a future that was crumbling down all around him and he had no idea that it was his decision to be with Naruto that created all this chaos.

"You're... trying to make this my fault... aren't you?" his voice croaked miserably, feeling as though he had suddenly become made of lead. Everything gradually started to feel so unbearably heavy on his chest that it was becoming harder to breathe.

"I do not have to try," Itachi stated, finally shifting his gaze to stare straight ahead. "However troublesome you have made things, the problem is not irreversible. With the circumstances you have given, a new future for Sasuke is possible."

"Don't ask me!" he beseeched the older man. The pressure... The discomfort of having been caught in such a fierce gaze... Itachi was right, he always was. Even with that knowledge, there was no way Naruto would be able to admit to being the cause of all Sasuke's problems. "Don't ask me to choose again!" His voice wavered as he felt his eyes sting with reluctant tears. "I love him..."

There was an aching moment of silence as the car slowed to a stop, making Naruto glance out the window in curiosity. They had been in the car for a good 15 minutes, but he had not taken the time to look at where they were going.

"H-how did you know?" the question sank even further into the stillness as he stared at the familiar manor.

"Lucky guess," was his only reply as Itachi exited and walked to open the passenger door. "Did you think I would leave you stranded somewhere?"

His legs felt weak beneath him as he tried to stand on his own only to have his hand taken by Itachi and yanked from the car. There were so many thoughts that were swarming in his head, but he found difficult to try and concentrate on one. He stumbled toward the iron gate to try and find some stability. The pressure had pushed his body to the breaking point as the Uchiha's words finally started to register in his mind.

_It's my fault it's like this! _

"That... isn't all," he stated with his gaze drawn to the uneven gravel at his feet. He knew the older brother was approaching him, but he didn't have the strength to try and ascertain what he was planning to do. "You didn't go out of your way just to tell me this..."

"Since you have made your choice perfectly clear back then, it would be useless to ask you to make the same mistake twice." A cold hand took hold of the blond's chin, forcing him to stare into the pitiless darkness of the man's eyes.

"Then what for?"

Itachi pulled him forward, making Naruto stagger in confusion as his lips were captured. He shut his eyes tightly with a shudder, trying to pull away from the man's firm grip on his arms. Before, when Itachi had kissed him there was a subtle kindness to his actions that made him feel somber. But this was more forceful and plagued with an indescribably malicious intent that immediately made him feel ill at ease. Itachi pushed Naruto away, making his back hit the gate once again as he stared at the Uchiha in bafflement.

"Spite." The word was spoken with a vindictive tone that he found unbefitting of Sasuke's older brother, but it was his only parting word as he quickly stepped back into the vehicle and left the younger boy to his uncertainty.

With a violent shake of his head he slammed his fist onto the small button at the front pillar, and before the other's voice could ask who it was he shouted, "OPEN UP, DAMNIT!" The tone was shrill with a clear air of panic that made his chest feel as if it could no longer contain the erratic beating of his heart.

He forced himself through the narrow opening when it became big enough before he began to sprint for the front door. The loud drumming in his ears was the only sound he heard that drowned out his heavy pants as he neglected to heed all previous warnings. He didn't want to take the time to enter through the side door; he needed shelter _now_! His heart was in his throat, and he felt as if he couldn't breathe anymore as he burst through the door and came barreling into the one who was ready to open it.

"Oi! Dobe!" the familiar voice coughed in pain. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He looked down at the raven haired boy, who seemed less than pleased at being tackled to the ground, but the unexpected sight of him only made the pain in Naruto's chest worsen, and the tears began to run down his cheeks. "You're here..."

Sasuke's eyes went wide with shock, considerably softening his scowl as he reached up to touch the other's face. "Naruto? Why are you crying?" His voice became gentle, though his dark eyes were at a complete loss for what to do, and that only made Naruto feel guiltier.

He didn't deserve to have this boy's worry. He was the one who made things this way to begin with. Naruto opened his mouth to explain, though he could only croak into a pitiful sob as his chest began to heave with the need to cry. The last thing he wanted was for Sasuke to worry about him, to see the pain and inner turmoil he had been feeling since their summer began. Or perhaps, that was _exactly_ what he wanted.

Sasuke sat up, cupping the blond's face in both of his hands so that he would look him in the eyes. "Say something... I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong..." His voice was tired, but drowned in so much worry that changed his features to a noticeable helplessness.

"What's wrong...?" he whispered before he choked on another sob. If only it was that easy. He shook away from the comfort of the other's pale hands as he tried to get a hold of his own emotions. Perhaps it was already too late to think that he would be able to convince Sasuke that it was nothing, but he wasn't ready to confront the realities of his own choices just yet. He needed more time.

"I just missed you... that's all..."

The glare he received let it known that the Uchiha was not fooled. "Where were you today?"

"H-huh?" He had expected to be harassed about his sudden breakdown, but the question seemed to be more deliberate, as if that's what Sasuke had wanted to know from the beginning.

"I was able to get out of work today because Itachi had taken the day off. I tried getting a hold of him, but he isn't even taking my calls. But, by the time I got back you were gone."

"I..." His voice was wavering evidently, but he couldn't keep a composed thought when Sasuke was staring at him so expectantly. What did he want him to say? "I was called in for some practice at the theater... Nothing important."

"Then why didn't you answer your phone?"

"D-did you call? I didn't notice... I'm sorry..." Naruto felt as if he was running out of breath. He wasn't prepared to be under investigation when he got home, and something told him that it would be the best to open up and be honest from that point on, but his cowardice wouldn't have it. He just wanted to put Sasuke's mind at ease and have him do the same in return. "Where did you think I was?"

"I wouldn't know. I'm not updated on the company you keep," his reply was curt, but stung just as painfully as it would if Sasuke blatantly accused him of something. It wouldn't have been far from the truth, but the fact that this was being brought on by nothing in particular still made Naruto feel taken aback.

He shut his eyes unable to keep the tears from stopping. With a shuddering breath, he leaned forward to place a soft kiss against Sasuke's lips. As he pulled away he received a stunned silence as he continued to look down at the other's chest. When had he become so powerless? Maybe it was because he knew that the subtle suspicion was deserved, as much as it pained him. He just wanted one thing to matter, of everything that had happened, he wanted to be the only thing that had to matter.

_How deluded am I?_

"Please..." he pleaded softly as he slowly chanced to look back into the Uchiha's eyes. "... I love you..."

Sasuke flinched visibly, however slight, as he averted his gaze for a moment before his hand took hold of the blond's chin. "I know you do."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Yes! Yes! I KNOW! I'm a jerk! I'm sorry! DX

Even if there are long waits between chapters just rest assured that I will never leave a story unfinished. If.. that's any consolation "orz

A lot has happened. XD Life happens.

Ciao~


	9. Chapter 9

**Yes. I know. Explanation for why I suck in the next chapter.**

**Bit of a warning, too.**

* * *

><p>Gasping, moaning, whimpering... All sounds quickly faded into the emptiness, ringing in his ears with an intense heat. There was something incredibly needy about the way Sasuke was acting. Naruto fell back onto the mattress with a breathless gasp, not expecting to be pushed down with so much force. They had made it to the top of the stairs before the blond was thrown into the closest guest room they came across, but he didn't have the breath to protest as the other's lips came down on his fervently. He parted his lips immediately to grant entrance, but even that didn't seem to satisfy the Uchiha.<p>

He wanted to voice his concern and to do this with a feeling of relief, but after Sasuke had not replied with "I love you too" it only worsened his guilt and paranoia. Before he could begin to ask the raven-haired boy why, he found himself succumbing to his spontaneous advances.

Sasuke pinned him to the mattress by his shoulders, crawling into the space between his legs as his tongue hungrily explored the hot cavern. A moan escaped into the kiss as Naruto tried to free himself by arching his back with a sudden jerk. His fingers curled themselves into the satin beneath them, eyes closed to take in the sweet taste with his tongue's slow and tentative flicks into the other's mouth.

Even when his body was ready to give in, the pleasure slowly creating a warm haze, he still couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that kept a constant pressure on his chest. He turned his head to the side to break the kiss, only to have his shirt pulled over his head, leaving no time for wasted movements.

"Sasuke! Wai—ahh!" He gasped in surprise as the older boy slid his tongue down the length of his slender neck. Deft fingers started on unbuttoning his pants while he continued to plant small, slick, kisses along his jaw. "Please! Slow—hn!" Naruto bit his lip to keep the pants and slight moans from escaping into the empty room, but it seemed that Sasuke was not in the mood for patience, even if his behavior was unbefitting of him.

Pale hands caressed and explored the younger boy's torso appreciatively, occasionally running his thumbs over his hardened nipples and making him arch his back with another surprised gasp before his lips were recaptured. Naruto's lips were becoming slightly swollen with every forceful lick and aggressive bite that eventually began to trail back down to his neck, reddening his sensitive skin as Sasuke ran his nails down the smaller boy's sides.

"Ahh!" The blond yelped with a slight shiver at the mingled pain and pleasure that shook his body. It wasn't like Sasuke to be so insistent towards him; in a way it seemed that he felt more assured when Naruto responded to his forcefulness rather than his usual gentle nature. It was still difficult not to be enamored with the Uchiha, even when he was being, somewhat, unlike himself. He was still as beautiful as always and looking at him only entranced Naruto even more.

He dug his fingers into the silky charcoal locks with a nervous twitch as he felt his pants being tugged away from his hips. Sasuke sat up for a moment, breaking all contact as he skillfully unbuttoned his shirt without wasting any time and tossed it to the side carelessly; there was something especially determined about his actions that made every movement seem premeditated, but not any less hurried. Naruto inhaled sharply as his eyes roamed over the perfect figure above him. He never knew that he could be this attracted to a man's body, but Sasuke had always been exceptionally striking, even before he knew he loved him.

The blond's hands rose to touch the other's stomach tentatively. His fingers gently grazed across Sasuke's pale skin before reaching the bottom of his chin. The Uchiha remained frozen, his eyes staring down at Naruto with an undecipherable expression that was able to soften the harsh glare in his features. For a moment, their movements stopped as Sasuke gazed listlessly at the blond beneath him with a mild trace of curiosity in his eyes. Slowly, as if any sudden movement would break the silence, Naruto brought the raven's face down to his, avoiding the inquisitive stare before planting a soft kiss against his lips.

His heart jumped into his throat when he felt Sasuke lips move against his as he brought the older boy down to his pace. With a shaky breath as they parted into a chilling stillness, Naruto chanced to speak once again. "Sasuke... I— hey!"

Before he could utter another word in protest, Sasuke had grabbed both of the blond's hands and pinned them down beside his head. Finally, he was forced to meet the suspicious gaze that had been burning its trace into his skin since he returned home. The dark eyes above him were still as enticing as before, yet there was a clear feeling of distress that was more readable than Sasuke, probably, wanted it to be, but, nonetheless, it made him seem more restless.

"Where were you today?" the question was abrupt, and so demanding that it had completely caught Naruto off guard

"W-why are you asking me this again?" he asked with uncertainty; he didn't want to sound as if he had anything to hide, but to ask something like that in a situation like this was only making Naruto feel more anxious.

Without another word Sasuke leaned in and bit down on the blond's shoulder, making him flinch from the sharp stinging that followed as he trailed up his neck. Naruto shut his eyes tightly, trying to find the words to form some sort of answer so that the pain would cease, but everything had become too jumbled and confusing for him to focus anymore. Sasuke's hands let up their hold on his wrists and began to trail their way down his torso, his nails lightly scratching at the blond's skin.

The air around him became heavy with a scorching heat that burned his skin to the touch. His body was getting hotter, but the pain and discomfort were quick to negate the pleasure he was supposed to be enjoying. "S-stop! Ahh... Sasuke!" He panted with another arch of his back as the other boy's fingers suddenly began to stroke his erection. His body jerked in response and his chest heaved his gasps through his lungs as the pleasure in the pit of his stomach grew. "Stop!" He pleaded with bated breath, his arms futilely pushing against the other boy to put some distance between them.

The friction ceased along with the painful biting as Sasuke's free hand grabbed a chunk of Naruto's hair and pulled his head up to meet his gaze. He could do no more than shiver, a reaction he had no control over when he came in contact with such a malicious sneer; it almost petrified him to see the anger in his eyes. "Where were you?"

Naruto bit his lip, trying to find some form of kindness, something he could take in for his own comfort. How could he open up to someone he wasn't even sure he recognized anymore? Where was the Sasuke that had been so concerned for him? Where was the sympathy that he had only shown to him? Was he no longer that special?

He closed his eyes tightly, severing their silent stares that only pushed him into a further state of apprehension. There was no way he would be able to talk to Sasuke like this, not when he maintained such a cruel demeanor. It was a selfish thing to expect that Sasuke should have been kinder to him, especially when he did not deserve that trust; it was slowly eroding away and he knew it was, but he didn't have the courage nor the strength to stop it.

_This is all I'm good for...?_

His fingers slowly grasped the sides of Sasuke's face, his eyes finally chanced to open, though he felt as if the other's gaze no longer reached his. He pulled the older boy in, closing their narrow distance and plunging his tongue into the other's mouth. Naruto was forced back onto the mattress, his actions quickly dominated by the resuming flicks of Sasuke's wrist, making the blond squirm in his confusion.

There was a hot prickling sensation against his skin that burned throughout his body. A part of him wanted Sasuke to continue as he did, making the younger boy buck his hips absentmindedly, though another part of him felt an immeasurable sense of guilt. Naruto bit his lip as Sasuke continued to lick and bite at his exposed flesh, if only for the fear that his protesting would bring about that uncomfortable question again. Was he really doing this to distract Sasuke from the answer?

Sasuke's free hand reached to the nightstand beside them, wasting no time as he rummaged the drawer before finding what he was looking for. Naruto kept silent, painfully swallowing his shameful moans as he continued to jerk him off; though, it did serve as an effective distraction until he realized just how far it was going to go.

A slender digit pushed against his entrance, sending a violent shudder that literally made his body jolt, letting out a strangled cry. "Wha—AHH!" He could not keep his voice contained as Sasuke's finger, which had been slicked up already by some sort of creamy substance, slid into him with no regard to his obvious discomfort. "What… is that?" he managed to cry out, his eyes screwed shut and fingers digging violently into the silky comforter. The invasion was anything but pleasant; it stole all the breath from his lungs and took every ounce of control he had not to instinctively fight against it.

"It's just lotion. It's in all the rooms," Sasuke answered callously, not helping to put the blond at ease before he started to move his hand.

"AHH! ST—Nn!" Naruto bit down onto his tongue in order to keep from shouting at the Uchiha to stop. He could do this. He could withstand anything as long as he didn't have to answer to that dark stare any more.

The air was cold against his skin, especially since Sasuke had not bothered to press against him to supply any sort of warmth or feeling of true intimacy. It seemed as if he was focused on pulling a reaction out of Naruto, but did not bother to offer him any form of solace. Naruto tried to remain still, though the rough motion made the invasion all the more unpleasant. "P-please…!" He wheezed breathlessly as he reached his hand up to lightly pull on Sasuke's chin.

"Please what?"

"Kiss—Nnh!—Me!" He pleaded. He couldn't make it through with his own discontented thoughts by himself. There had to be some form of assurance that would lead him to believe that everything was going to be okay. _Don't make me go through this alone!_

"AAAHH!" His scream tore through his throat. His hand had been slapped away as his head was pushed back into the pillows while another finger was forcefully added. The air escaped him and the slight burning turned into a searing fire that shot through his abdomen. His fingers moved inside him, scissoring slightly, stretching him slowly, and making him writhe uncontrollably in pain. "Don't—Mmn!" He caught himself, quickly slapping his hand over his mouth to forcefully keep his demands from being heard.

"What was that?"

He shook his head vigorously before throwing his head back into the pillows with a stifled cry. It was his first time so of course he was going to feel discomfort, but, somehow, that thought was not enough to make him feel any better. With a little more force, the third finger was inserted, with his screams successfully muffled. There was no doubt of what Sasuke was going to do to him, and he felt as if he should have been more excited for what was about to happen.

Despite the feeling that his entire body had been set ablaze, it made the fact that there was so much space between them even more apparent. His hands, uncertain of whether to touch the other boy or not, unfolded and hid all of the blond's face from view, shielding the reluctant tears that forced their way through his closed lids.

_I can't do this! I'm scared!_ He could clearly hear the sound of their bodies colliding repeatedly through the reverberating of his own erratic heartbeat. It was uncomfortable, discontenting, and wrought destruction on what little self confidence he had left. His tears were still hot in contrast to the burning of his skin; he could feel them rolling down his cheeks while his fingers tried to wipe away their existence.

Suddenly, his wrists were seized and pulled away from his face, the pain suddenly disappearing altogether. He blinked a few times in order to clear his vision, focusing in on the evident glare from Sasuke as he pinned Naruto's hands to the bed once again.

"Be honest! What are you trying to say?"

The words were caught in his throat, but he could feel that they were still on the verge of bursting out before he could hold them back any longer. "Please..." He wheezed uncomfortably as he turned his head to break eye contact, "Please stop! I can't... do this!"

As if expecting the answer, Sasuke had already pushed away from the blond and stood at the foot of the bed, throwing Naruto's clothes at him while fitting his arms through his sleeves.

"Wait! That doesn't mean I want you to go!" he pleaded, pulling his t-shirt over his head hastily. "I just..."

"You just what?" Sasuke asked plainly, his eyes glancing at him indignantly.

"Couldn't..." he admitted, his fingers suddenly digging into the comforter in frustration. "I don't want you to leave."

There was a tense pause where he felt as if he could look Sasuke in the eyes; it probably had something to do with the fact that he actually was being honest with himself. There was nothing he wanted more than to be brought closer to Sasuke in ways that no one else ever could but, when he started to feel lonelier as things progressed, he knew it wasn't the way he had wanted it to go. He should have been comfortable, not scared, with what was bound to happen.

Sasuke's eyes remained calm, keeping his gaze fixed as his fingers worked even faster to button up his shirt, but seemed significantly less hostile than before. Finally, he sighed with a shake of his head, "It's not that I don't want to stay, Naruto. I just feel as if I should be expecting a call soon." Leaving the blond confused, but in no right mind to ask the proper question, he turned on his heels and headed for the bedroom door.

He stopped at the entrance to the hallway with a quizzical look before glancing back at Naruto with something that may have resembled a small smile before he said, "I love you too."

The door closed behind him, leaving the blond in complete darkness, too astonished to move. Hearing him say it was overwhelmingly comforting, yet he knew that not everything was okay because of it. There was something on Sasuke's mind that was bothering him enough to change the way he was acting. But, at the end of the day it seemed that his feelings for Naruto had not changed. However, that did not change the fact that he had become so forceful, and that Naruto had denied the only person he could ever imagine himself being close to.

_I'm going to ruin us..._


	10. Chapter 10

"Next time, I don't care for your reasons, you're being dropped off at the main gate or in front of the theater," Shikamaru stated as he tossed a small packet to the shaking blond that sat at the far end of the couch. Either the brunette had noticed his friend's meager responses and decided not to ask, or he was too distressed to give it much thought. In any case, the tension was enough to keep the two of them on edge.

"How was I supposed to know that he would be there?" he shouted, gripping tightly onto his script in order to keep himself from shaking. "I didn't think he knew where I was!"

"Maybe that was our problem," his friend groaned slightly as he finally took a seat in order to keep from pacing. "Maybe we didn't think this entire thing through; we didn't explore the many possibilities like the fact that Itachi isn't an idiot and was very capable of using his power of deduction. We were naïve."

"That still wouldn't make sense," Naruto mumbled while placing the packet to his lips in thought.

"I know," Shikamaru sighed with a contemplative stare fixated on the ceiling. "It's one thing to know that you were at this manor. It's something else to know about your theater pursuits."

Naruto closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind so he could think as rationally as possible. Even Shikamaru had been perturbed by this news, and he was starting to run out of ideas. He needed to contribute something in order to keep them from being discouraged or at a complete loss altogether. Itachi made it plain that he knew where he lived and that he disapproved of what was happening, but he never said what he was going to do about it. Could that really have been the extent of Itachi's interference?

_Spite._

No. It could not have been that easy.

"We might not have anything to worry about," he finally croaked his response into the stillness that kept his friend in a state of bewilderment. The other boy glanced at him inquisitively, though kept silent to encourage him to continue. "He made his _dissatisfaction_ pretty clear, but he never said that he would do anything about it. It's not like he can, right?"

Shikamaru leaned forward, his eyes still studying the blond as he rested his chin in his palm. "That is true... Though, something like 'spite' isn't very becoming of someone like Itachi. I can't bring myself to trust this just yet."

"We might be over thinking it," he insisted, trying to avoid the strange surge of nausea that nagged at his stomach. The last thing he wanted to do was think about anything at all. Thinking, at that point, led him to remember that he hadn't seen Sasuke since the day before, and just the thought of it was enough to make Naruto shudder with anxiety.

"Coming from the guy that _never_ thinks these things through? I'm, somehow, not comforted by that," Shikamaru retorted playfully, grabbing the second script with disinterest. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

Naruto shook his head before the question was even finished. Damn that freakish ability to always know when something was up! But how was he supposed to talk about something that he wasn't even sure he wanted to happen? The fact that he had been so frightened and uncomfortable in the first place was a troubling thought on its own without thinking about how odd Sasuke was acting the entire time. Something like that was supposed to be intimate and special; at least, that's how he always imagined it would be. When a moment like that felt anything but extraordinary, he panicked and was even forced to tell Sasuke to stop, as if he had already known from the beginning that it would get him nowhere.

"I find it uncanny how I find myself believing you all the time," Shikamaru's voice broke through his unsettled thoughts, weighing him down with every passing second.

"Am I that obvious? All the time?" Naruto blurted the question, flipping through the tiny booklet trying to keep his eyes from meeting the other boy's.

"Yes."

He sighed.

"Then, no." Naruto gave a quick glance to his friend, noticing that he had been looking through the booklet too. "Sometimes I can see the gears turning in your head, but I often find myself wondering why you respond to things the way that you do, and then it becomes a bit clearer."

"I'm an idiot?"

"A bit simpler than that. We're just kids, Naruto," Shikamaru explained with reluctant emphasis. "It pains me to admit it, but the fact that you're involved in this huge tabloid scandal and still in high school... that doesn't happen, much less to a teenage boy who had never been in the public eye before."

"Or near it," he added irreverently.

"I can't measure things like impulsivity or capriciousness," the brunette continued before tossing the script back onto the coffee table. "And I'm still not a good actor, if you haven't guessed by now."

"I... I'm afraid to go back..." Naruto mumbled, hiding his face within the script's contents.

"You haven't even called Kabuto, have you?"

Another timid shake of the head prompted the other teen to push himself off the couch with a loud yawn. "Well, I suppose you should head over there to apologize and give them some sort of excuse."

"I'm sure they managed without me."

"That's not what a theatrical man says. The show must go on, dude!"

"You have to work, don't you?" Naruto muttered in question with a suspicious stare that made his friend smirk knowingly.

"I have business to attend to, yeah, but I also think it would be responsible of you to go in and explain yourself to your partner."

"You mean _lie_ to my partner?" his voice faded into a dreary mumble as his chest heaved a deep sigh. He knew that he would eventually have to go back to Suna, but he was hoping to have a day to rest on it and think up a good excuse for not showing up at all. Kabuto was the one who had given him the chance to be a part of this production and, because of that, Haku had high expectations of him. He was letting them down.

"Yes. I mean lie," Shikamaru answered with a thoughtful glance to the blond. "You don't really have a choice in the matter, do you?"

"Why not?" he spat more bitterly than he would have liked. "Lying is what makes me feel so helpless all the goddamn time!"

"You can't be serious," his friend retorted with a disbelieving chuckle. "This entire summer has relied heavily on all of us _lying_."

"What does that get me?" Naruto snapped, standing quickly to face Shikamaru with a heated glare. "I can't walk outside comfortably without the fear of being noticed, I've left Kabuto and Haku in the dark, and I can't even look at Sasuke without feeling like I'm about to vomit."

"Strangely, I can relate to that last one."

"Fuck off!"

"I'm sorry; you know I'm only kidding," Shikamaru sighed with a light pat to the blond's shoulder, "but I only criticize when I know you haven't thought something through. I know you resent lying and, if you remember correctly, I told you to try and be honest in the beginning and it was _you_ that was so adamant about keeping everything to yourself. Even now."

Naruto felt his shoulders sink, his gaze faltering to a meek stare that fell to the floor in embarrassment. Seeing his friend was supposed to offer him the console that he lacked the night before. Shikamaru was the one that he was supposed to be able to tell everything to. If there was one person in the world he could rely on, it was him. But how could he bring himself to admit to something so personal that ended with him feeling even lonelier and humiliated than before? It was coming to a point where Naruto felt too ashamed of where he was standing, and even more mortified of the fact that he had no one but himself to blame.

"You're not obligated to tell me everything, Naruto," Shikamaru added with a tired sigh before heading for the door, "just like you're not obligated to keep everything to yourself."

The boy nodded in acknowledgment as he followed his friend through the house and out to the familiar black car that, at a closer glance, was almost identical to the one Itachi had arrived in. He knew that he was not entitled to be upset or angry with anybody but himself, but the circumstances had become too overwhelming for him to help it anymore. He opened the door before the driver had a chance to come around, and sat in silence while staring at Shikamaru apprehensively as he seated himself next to him.

"But I really do wonder..." his friend mused, almost on cue as if he knew Naruto had been expecting something.

"Yeah?" He questioned hoarsely, clasping his hands together in order to cease the resumed trembling.

"What good would the truth do you?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Wow! That only took FOREVER! D: I apologize for the wait, but I also want to let you know that there are reasons, regardless of if they matter or not.

For starters, I started school, which is hardly an obstacle, but then I unexpectedly caught something very horrid and was out sick for a while. Long story short, a few hospital visits and horrendous procedures later, I was feeling better and could go back to school... to CATCH UP on everything I missed DX

Next, after discussing the story and such with my friend, I decided to SCRAP a plot point that was written into later chapters. Needless to say that was very hard to do and I had to do a lot of repair before I was comfortable with how the later chapters looked. Don't worry, it was something that hasn't been introduced yet, so it'll be like it never existed at all :D But it was still a very hard thing to write around.

It was difficult to edit and write after that, but now that the fixings have been done I believe things will be a lot easier.

And I don't believe in writers block. :D

Well, I hope you can forgive me. I don't like making people wait but this was just something that was out of my control. It happens, but I am sorry.

Ciao~


	11. Chapter 11

"Naruto-kun! We weren't expecting you in today!" The loud woman known as Anko shouted across the theater in order to project over the noise of power tools and banging hammers. Different set designs were scattered about the stage and the crew was already hard at work; Naruto felt a small surge of excitement at the thought of what their set might look like in the end.

"I know..." he began with an apologetic bow of his head, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for yesterday."

"Yesterday?" She asked with a tilt of her head, a thoughtful gaze was cast towards the ceiling as if trying to remember something important. "Did you do something?"

"Well, Kabuto-san called me in yesterday for rehearsal, but I never showed up," he explained with another remorseful wince.

"I was wondering, too why I was called in," another voice echoed over the background noise, despite its naturally soft and gentle tone. Haku emerged from backstage fanning himself with, what looked like, a pink and white laced Victorian fan. "I figured you were supposed to be here as well, but I was left alone with the stage crew."

"I'm so sorry about that!" Naruto pleaded with a low bow, feeling his face become flushed with embarrassment. He wanted to do everything he could to live up to the other boy's expectations, but he was turning out to be more trouble than he was worth. "I didn't mean to make you and Kabuto-san wait around all that time!"

"Kabuto-san?" Haku questioned, a brow raised in confusion before his eyes lit up. "Oh! He wasn't here yesterday either because of urgent business with a class of his. But I'm sure he expected that we would at least practice in his absence."

"Which brings me back to the fact that I'm _really_ sorry," Naruto mumbled while scratching the back of his head. "Something came up."

Haku's pallid face remained stoic, though his eyes had a trace of skepticism that he must have chosen to keep to himself. Naruto knew that the boy was smart enough to figure things out on his own; he was perceptive enough as it was, but it seemed that he either had no interest in his affairs, or was simply courteous enough not to ask.

"Well, we can't change the past!" Anko chimed in with a long stretch, trying to shift the tension. "So, apparently, you were called in and didn't show; nothing we can do about it. Let's just try to not make a habit of it." She winked at the blond playfully before beckoning the two to follow her onstage. "But now that I have the both of you we might as well utilize out time wisely. Any objections?"

"You read my mind, Anko-sensei," Haku replied as he folded the fan with a single flick of his wrist. "Unless you have a problem with it, Naruto?"

The blond shook his head vigorously while frantically waving his hands. "No! Not at all! I would love to practice to make up for yesterday!"

Anko leaned in closer to him with a narrow stare, as if scrutinizing his features for something. Naruto leaned back instinctively with a nervous flinch, wondering if he had said something wrong. "Umm..."

"God, you're gloomy," she stated with a harsh jab at his forehead. "Cheer up, will ya? Just looking at you is depressing. It's like you have dark clouds looming over you."

He laughed anxiously, trying to dismiss her claim, but it only drove them into an awkward silence when no one made a move to continue. "I... I'm sorry. It doesn't feel that great for me either."

"You don't have to explain," Haku assured. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"Yeah, if you like having your soul ripped apart by just looking at him. Those clouds better clear up soon, kid!"

"Yes!" He replied hurriedly, trying to shift them away from the topic altogether. It's not like he wanted such a tense atmosphere to follow him wherever he went; conditions made him that way and there was nothing he could have done about it.

He scrambled onto the stage with his script in hand, trying not to look down at the words and remember what he could from his practice with Shikamaru. The further they got into the scene, the more he felt the frown weigh down on his cheeks, unable to fully absorb himself in anger. As he spoke, Haku moved along the stage as he recited his lines almost flawlessly, looking to Naruto as if he knew his blocking too, but he was left sitting at center stage looking as helpless as before. It had only been a couple days but he could clearly see that the gap between them had only grown; he hadn't been as dedicated to this as he should have been.

"If I may, Naruto-kun?" Anko finally interrupted with a loud clap of her hands.

Haku joined them at the center with nothing more than a pleasant smile, though Naruto was only disheartened by the gesture. "I'm... not doing so well, am I?"

"No one said that," Haku answered with mild surprise at the suggestion.

"Calm down kid, I just wanna help you with your blocking. That's all," Anko stated reassuringly with a thumbs up. She seemed just as calm as his partner, but exerted an eagerness that made him feel at ease.

"Okay. I've never actually had to worry about blocking before..." he admitted, receiving puzzled stares in reply.

"Never?" Haku reiterated with an apprehensive glance to Anko. "But you said you've acted before."

"It was a monologue," he clarified, hoping that he wasn't making the other boy feel worried by telling him this.

"Oh, is that all?" his partner sighed with, what seemed like relief. "Then it shouldn't be too difficult."

"What do you mean?"

"Whether you may have realized it or not," Anko explained while wrapping an arm around the blond's shoulders, "even during a monologue, you're stage blocking. The person you're talking to may not be real, but your actions are what make the audience _believe_ that they are."

If only this woman knew that the entire time he stood on stage reciting those lines, he was actually talking to Sasuke. And though the words weren't actually his, he did everything he could from his voice to his expressions to make them convey his own feelings. In the end, it must have worked.

"Working with me doesn't make it that much different," Haku added while unfolding the fan to hide a slightly devilish grin. "If anything, it'll make it easier for you. These lines are nothing more than a conversation, a lovers' quarrel to be more precise. You have to put yourself in this man's position."

_Well, that won't be terribly hard..._

Suddenly, he felt his wrists in the grip of the other woman as she began waving his arms around like he was a madman. "Wait! W-what are you doing!" He stammered clumsily as he began to swing their arms in circles.

"For starters, you have to loosen up!" she declared. "Your character is a bit of a drama queen, which means you are too. Subtle conversational gestures won't do. You have to make the audience see them too! Be dramatic!"

"Dramatic! Got it!" He affirmed while shaking Anko off his hands. He leaned back with a satisfying stretch, feeling a contagious smile begin to play on his lips. When was the last time he had actually smiled at anything? For a moment, he had forgotten that he had walked into this place feeling absolutely dreadful and ready to turn and run out the door at the first sign of defeat. Regardless of how he was feeling, these people were there to help him while not seeming to care at all for what was bothering him. Though he could argue that such a trait made them neglectful and not at all caring, but it seemed that they all came to a silent understanding that his problems were too much for them to try and handle. He was in need of a distraction.

"Are you sure?" the woman cooed with a playful snicker as she stroked her chin in thought. "If you aren't, I'll have to make you run a lap around the seats to loosen you up!"

"I'm sure!"

"How do you feel about Haku marrying another man?" Anko shouted, her naturally loud voice echoing through the theater and making the crew look up at them curiously, some hold back chuckles of amusement.

"Angry!"

"Is that all?" Haku gasped while hiding a 'distraught' expression behind his fan. "I thought you could do better, Naruto-kun. Do I really mean so little?"

He could hear the giggles begin to accumulate behind him. They must have really looked odd to gang up on him with questions that were so ambiguous.

"I'm furious!"

"I hope you like running!" Anko chimed in.

"LIVID!" He shouted, his voice drowning out all noise as he stomped his foot down and threw his script at Haku's feet. The other boy peered at him over the lace and cloth with a slightly inquisitive brow. Without allowing anyone to interject he stormed up to Haku, tearing the fan away from him only to brandish it in his face. "How dare you let your father talk you into it! And how dare you act like YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN!"

Haku's brows furrowed into an indignant scowl as his hands rested on his slender hips. "_You're_ the one who doesn't give a damn, Naruto-kun! How dare _you_ expect me to read your mind! You gave me your advice!"

"Bullshit!" Naruto felt his voice rise along with a heat that coursed through his veins, flushing his cheeks with a rush of emotions that he was unfamiliar with. He grabbed Haku's hand and pulled the small boy to him, holding him tightly before proclaiming, "You're mine!"

He was breathing hard, his heart was beating out of control and he was sure Haku could feel it through his chest before he finally let go of him, not knowing if he was about to be punched or yelled at. It seemed like he really had upset him, but he had been too caught up in the moment to care. Naruto took a step back, first noticing that the stage crew had become silent, but continued to stare at him before he looked back at Anko and his partner.

"I.. I'm—"

"That was awesome, Naruto-kun!" Anko exclaimed before he had the chance to apologize. "It didn't take much to push you to do better, did it?"

"Huh?" he stammered, his gaze shifting to Haku in wait for his response.

"It's not that hard once you know your motivation is it?" Haku answered his bafflement with a gentle smile, as if he wasn't scowling just moments before.

"N-no..." he replied slowly, trying to take in the fact that such wild emotions that ran free and were, quite, real had actually been fabricated rather than channeled through something he actually felt. It was almost surreal.

"Well, I think that concludes our lesson for today, kids!" Anko announced with a joyous round of applause, which was joined by few crew members in the back. "I think you guys will be fine without my help for the rest of the day, right?"

"Looks that way," Haku affirmed with a nod before giving the teacher a short wave. "So, Naruto-kun, would you like to take this outside? There would be less noise."

He heard a suggestive whistle call from behind them, but he had become too mortified to try and find out who it was. Instead, he nodded in order to hopefully get to a place where it wouldn't be easy for people to misinterpret what they were doing, however unlikely. Despite the slight feeling of embarrassment, the exercise still felt empowering, in a way, by making him feel like he truly did have control over what he did and felt. His emotions weren't controlled by poor circumstances or the words of another man; those weren't the factors that dictated the outcome of anything.

He had known from the beginning that he was to blame for his predicament, but he had, without realizing it, slowly lost the will to try and make things better for himself like he had before.

"What is it, Naruto-kun?" His partner's voice cut through the calming thought process as they were greeted by the pleasant warmth of the sun as they stepped outside. "You're smiling so freely all of a sudden."

Naruto shook his head, unable to hide the wry smile from view as he looked at Haku with newfound confidence. "Just figuring some things out. I guess dark clouds aren't as formidable as they appear."

"How could they?" Haku giggled in reply. "They're lined in silver."


	12. Chapter 12

**Today**

"Get your lazy ass out of bed!"

The irritatingly loud voice could have been bearable had it not been for the winding force of a pillow that came down with all the bearer's might onto his chest. Leave it to this asshole to turn a pillow into a weapon.

Naruto shot upright with a cough, sending a hateful frown to the other man in the room. "WHAT!"

"Wow, someone is cranky this morning," Jiraiya snickered with a hard pat to his back.

The disgruntled blond mumbled his colorful reply under his breath as his eyes narrowed in order to focus on the blurred numbers of his clock. "It's only 11:00?" He questioned with another disdainful glare. "I'm going back to bed."

"What do you mean _only_?" the man scoffed as he pulled the covers off of Naruto with a single tug. "I said we were going out for breakfast, not brunch."

"Gimme a break already, old man!" Naruto whined. "I didn't get home until late last night!"

"And I fail to see how that's my problem," Jiraiya retorted with a roll of his eyes. "You agreed to go out for breakfast so don't blame me for expecting you to be up sometime this _morning_. You're too young for partying anyway."

"I wish," the blond mumbled tiredly as he forced himself to sit up. "I was practicing with Haku and we kind of lost track of time."

"Because that's so much better? I thought you were going out with that gloomy guy."

"Sasuke," Naruto corrected irritably as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Just because I hang out with other guys doesn't mean I'm dating them."

"I don't know how you kids work! You could be like me for all I know!"

"And be attracted to everything that _moves_?" he couldn't help but snicker, "I'm not like that."

Somehow, that sentence didn't feel as right as it should have. He was attracted to Sasuke; sure, others may have caught his eye as far as exceptional beauty, but they all lacked one thing. He loved Sasuke, and the fact that Itachi had kissed him seemed to trample all over the concept. It tainted his thoughts with anxiety, doubt and relentless guilt. It had become so heavy that he was sure he couldn't take much more of it. This secrecy was tearing him apart.

"What's with the depressing face all of a sudden?" Jiraiya's voice brought him back to the moment, but hardly an escape from his reality. "I was just kidding."

Naruto's fingers gripped the sheets as he began to lose himself in thought. The air was suffocating and it felt like there was no way out. He looked up to his guardian, trying his best to smile but feeling the weight of his burdens twist it into a frown. After so long of not wanting the old man to worry, Naruto felt as if he was the only person he could turn to at that point.

"I need to get something off my chest while we're out."

* * *

><p>"How... the hell?"<p>

"I don't know!" Naruto groaned as his head hit the table for the third time. "I don't know why these things keep happening to me! All I know is that the more confusing it gets, the more pissed off I am!"

"Fix it, then!" Jiraiya countered before taking another sip of coffee. "Regardless of whose fault it is, you're in this predicament so it's up to you to get yourself out."

"It's not that easy!"

"Because running away from it has been doing you a lot of good, hasn't it?"

Naruto glared at the old man contemptuously with a childish huff, but he knew that Jiraiya was right. Even Shikamaru had told him to be honest, but he had been too scared of what would happen. The entire time he had tried to look up towards a glimmer of hope only to realize he had been blinding himself from how deep he was sinking.

"I thought... that it would go away," he mumbled, staring at his untouched plate of pancakes. "I am so afraid of what will happen that I just wanted to let it disappear and be forgotten."

"It doesm work 'dat way, kid," his guardian interjected with a mouthful of food.

"I know that!" Naruto barked angrily, drawing in the attention from other tables. "And chew with your mouth closed, old man! You're embarrassing yourself!"

"I think his bad table manners are the least of his worries, right now," a man's voice interjected before Jiraiya could form a messy retort.

Naruto sat up quickly, his muscles tensing as he whirled around to find the speaker. "K-Kakashi-sensei?"

"You're so jumpy," the silver haired man commented slyly as he put a thoughtful finger to his chin. "I wonder why that could be."

Before he even realized it, Naruto leaped from his seat and wrapped his arms tightly around his former teacher as if he might disappear at any second. However unexpected, seeing the familiar face from Konoha was enough to make Naruto feel, even if it was for a second, that everything was okay. Kakashi was the man who, inadvertently or otherwise, changed the young boy's life forever. Even with things the way they were, he only felt a sense of immense relief when he looked into the older man's eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

"He's our guest of honor," Jiraiya commented. "It's a good thing he's notorious for being late or we would have kept him waiting."

"There's a reason for that!"

"Lies!" Naruto chimed in, beckoning the teacher to sit across from him.

"I guess some things never change," Kakashi replied somewhat bashfully. "Especially not you, Naruto-kun."

"Me?" Naruto scoffed, suddenly feeling hungry enough to cut away at his pancakes.

"Still with the ability to change the world around you," he chuckled. "It's almost scary."

"You mean it _is_ scary," the blond growled. "I know you know. There's so much going on that I have no safe place to go to in the world."

"I don't recall you being kicked out of Konoha, either," Kakashi mused while resting his chin against his hand.

"I know I'm to blame, already! Christ!" Naruto's voice was on the rise again, earning even more anxious stares. "The world is out to get me and it's my entire fault!"

"We never said that, kid," Jiraiya added with a raised brow. "It seems like you're trying to shoulder too much. You know you can lean on people, right? And not just that Shika kid either."

"I..." he hesitated, suddenly losing his appetite again as he stared down at the faded wooden table.

This was something like an intervention, right? He had become helpless to the point that the old man had to bring Kakashi to try and set him straight. When they spoke so lightly of all his problems, the solutions seemed obvious, but the reality of it was that nothing was ever that simple. It was different to be sought out by the public, complete strangers, and paparazzi. He was the subject of a business scandal; they wanted things to become difficult for him. In the face of so much adversity, how was he supposed to laugh it off over a cup of coffee?

"Now, Naruto-kun. You're starting to look like that boy from last year," Kakashi commented with a small smile, making the blond look up at him dejectedly. "Do you remember what I told you then, when you thought that your situation was completely hopeless?"

"The problems back then don't seem so big anymore," he mumbled dryly, averting his gaze back down to his lap.

"Sometimes, you have to see darkness as a different kind of shining." The familiar words were spoken so casually, but the overwhelming sense of comfort they brought was enough to put a smile on Naruto's face.

"The silver lining?"

"I'm not about to tell you what you should do about this whole fiasco," Kakashi assured with a small twirl of his index finger. "But, try and remember what all this trouble is for. At the end of the day, what is it that matters most to you?"

At the end of the day? When he wasn't worried about Haku or being annoyed with strange new faces? When he wasn't being chased around, asked questions, or being cornered by people so much bigger than him?

"Sasuke," he answered firmly, the only thing that he could say with certainty anymore. He loved Sasuke at the end of each day, and that wasn't about to change.

"Right," Kakashi nodded. "Sasuke."

"Thanks Kakashi-sensei," he spoke with a wry smile beginning to curve his lips. "You seem to always know what to say."

"I take my payments in unfinished pancakes."

* * *

><p>He could hear thunder in the distance, the world muted to a sullen gray from the dark overcast above. Naruto ran quickly along the side of the house, not wanting to stop until he knew for sure whether Sasuke was home or not. He opened the door to silence, slightly disoriented by the darkness, but able to navigate his way to the main hall before racing his way up the stairs. The sound of heavy raindrops hitting the tall arch windows began to sound like small rocks tapping against the glass, creating a buzzing ambient noise from every direction. His heart was pounding steadily, but so forcefully that it felt as if it was jumping into his throat. When and why had he become so apprehensive? This time was like any other and, better yet, he was able to clear his mind of all the turmoil of this wretched summer.<p>

In the end, he just needed to remind Sasuke that he was the only thing that mattered.

He opened the door to his room, trying to adjust his eyes to the dimness of the lamp that sat on a side table by the couch. Naruto spotted him in an instant, his back turned but the unmistakable work shirt and mess of spiky hair, Sasuke.

"Sasuke! You're home!" He sighed happily, unable to keep the satisfied smile from his face. "That's great. I wanted to tell you something!"

"Did you?" the reply was sharp and heartless, making the blond freeze in his tracks, eyes wide with confusion. Sasuke turned his head to look back at him, a loud crack of thunder only adding to the menacing look of his glare. "Do tell."

"I..." he stammered hesitantly, unable to shake the confusion and the aching paranoia that he thought he was rid of. "Sasuke... What's the matter?"

"You've got some nerve..." he snarled, a growl built in his throat and Naruto could see that the hand at his side was shaking.

"Sasuke..."

"Some _fucking_ nerve to ask me that!" He finally shouted as he whirled around, throwing a packet onto the coffee table, making the blond flinch at the spiteful tone he had taken.

After a brief silence, Naruto looked closely at what he had thrown to notice that it wasn't a packet, but a magazine. He took a cautious step forward, the Uchiha remaining perfectly still, as if a statue. The white letters contrasted the darkness of the, clearly, candid picture. _Uchiha Scandal Revealed! _

The air completely caught in his throat, his chest deflating as he tried to register what he was looking at. His heart burst out into an erratic beat, trying to remind his body that he needed to breathe. He wanted to shut his eyes, to make it disappear, but there was no escaping it. That was a picture of Itachi and him kissing at the front gate. Even so, there was something familiar about the entire cover.

_WHAT IN THE HELL?_

"S-Sasuke... I..."

"I _dare_ you to say that you can explain this!" he growled, advancing on Naruto so quickly that the blond fell back in terror.

_No! This wasn't how it was supposed to go!_ He had finally put his mind at ease; for the first time, he felt as if he could be unafraid and be open to the idea of honesty. But this... This was too cruel. "I... I didn't..."

"Didn't you?" Sasuke spat, picking up the magazine to look at the cover once more. "Because no matter how many times I look at it, that's you and my brother in the picture... In front of _this_ house!" He threw it out of sight again, concentrating his callous stare to the trembling boy on the floor.

"Y-you don't understand! I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how!" Naruto pleaded, backing away with every step Sasuke took.

"Every day, he'd ask the same thing," the dark-haired boy muttered darkly, stopping his pace just before reaching Naruto. "How it was to watch something precious slip away..."

Naruto remained silent, his back against the wall and arms trembling at his sides. There was a slight howl of the wind moving through the trees as the rain began to drum even harder against the window.

"I thought he was talking about the company at first," he continued, his glare faltering as his eyes shifted to his feet. "But you... you've been acting so different. You're so jumpy as if you second guess everything I say or do. You rarely answer my questions directly, and you look away from me when you do. You, who was always so honest with me... And even when the suspicion was literally tearing me apart, I couldn't bring myself to ask you outright." He paused, looking back to Naruto, eyes stricken with grief. "But you looked so hurt when I tried that I just couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to doubt you! And this gets tossed at my face when my brother walks into work this morning?"

"Please! It's not like that Sasuke! It's a misunderstanding!"

"So this is the only time you've ever kissed Itachi?" the question was blunt, but he could clearly hear Sasuke voice waver slightly when he asked. It was almost as good as being pierced through the chest with a knife.

His lies had gotten them to where they were now; it would only destroy them more if he tried to hide anything else. "N-no... There was one other time..." his voice was shaking; his entire body was. He couldn't control it anymore. His body knew that something was wrong but it was practically tearing itself apart with helplessness.

"When?"

"Please! Sasuke! I'm sorry about what happened the other day! But before—"

"WHEN?"

He flinched, closing his eyes as he tried to remember that time. It seemed so insignificant after everything had come to pass, and he had no idea it would come to light this way. "When we were both at Konoha... A couple days before the ball..."

"Two days?" Sasuke uttered as if someone had kicked him in the stomach. "It was the same day I confessed to you, wasn't it?"

"You don't understand! It wasn't supposed to be like that!"

"Answer me!"

He felt as if he was choking on his words, unable to gather enough breath to give him the strength to answer. But somehow, a feeble, "yes" made it through the stillness.

"Ow!" He yelped as his wrists were seized, being roughly pulled to his feet and brought closer to Sasuke than he felt comfortable with. He couldn't move his eyes away from the heartbreaking gaze that looked down on him.

He was the cause of that, wasn't he? Every painful expression etched into the older boy's features was somehow related to Naruto, in the end. He really wasn't good for anything.

"Of all people! You had Neji and, if you asked, you could probably have that annoying friend of yours! So many people buzzing around you like parasites and it had to be Itachi!"

"T-that time doesn't even matter!" He found himself shouting, wincing at the tightened grip around his wrists. "We weren't even going out when he offered himself to me! He wanted the marriage to go through so the merge would go smoothly, but I chose you instead! Even so, we were never going out! Even now, you can't even bring yourself to ask me to be your boyfriend!" Where was this coming from? The sudden anger when he knew he was the last person who should have been lashing out was only growing stronger.

"Ah!" He whimpered as he was thrust into the wall, his entire body aching from the impact as Sasuke grabbed a fistful of the blond's hair.

"BAKA!" He hissed with a menacing glower. "For something so stupid?"

"It's not stupid!" He sobbed, unable to move. "If not that, then what the hell are we?"

"Lovers!" Sasuke shouted, somehow silencing the air of the storm in the background, making Naruto shudder at the word. "Something that steps beyond such a meaningless title! That's what we were supposed to be!"

"It's not fair!" He cried, pushing the Uchiha only to be pulled forward by the hair. "How am I supposed to know if you never say anything? I was content with just loving you until..."

There was that painful look again.

"... until you left me alone this whole time!" he finished, feeling the tears brim his eyes, stinging his skin. "I was so alone, afraid, and insecure the whole time! I saw what I did to you; you couldn't hide it from me, and I saw you falling apart right before my eyes and still you said nothing!" he was panting, gasping for air as the words kept slipping from his tongue. "After all this time... why is it so strange that I doubted myself? Even you?" Sasuke's brow furrowed even deeper. "Then... Itachi approached me the other day and I realized it, even when I didn't want to, that you would have..." he hesitated once more, gathering the strength to look him in the eyes, "... been better off without me!"

A flash of lightning split the sky with a thunderous bellow as Naruto went crashing into the coffee table. The glass shattered beneath his weight, digging into his skin as he lay painfully sprawled on the ground. He could feel a warm liquid sticking to the back of his head, but he was too dizzy to try and decipher what it was.

Sasuke's figure finally came into focus, his eyes seeming torn between rage and utter horror. "G-get out..."

"Sasuke?" he questioned dizzily, trying to sit up only to wince in pain at the sharp crystals that buried into his skin.

"GET OUT!" He screamed, a cry that was so broken and hoarse that it finally permitted the tears to fall silently down his cheeks.

...

The silence had lasted far too long. He couldn't even hear anything outside of the high pitched ring in his ears. His vision was getting hazy as his body went completely numb.

"... All of this was happening, and you didn't bother to tell me anything?"

"I couldn't... I was scared."

Finally, the door opened, the dark figure moving forward to catch him before he fell back completely. He tried to focus, but it only helped to make everything become dark and blurry. "Naruto," his name was spoken so firmly that it echoed in his head. "I'm not just some guy you met at school. I'm the one who threw everything aside because, out of everybody in the world... I trusted you. I opened up to you because you were the only one who cared enough to ask. I was supposed to be the only one you loved, and you still doubted me?"

Even if his vision corrected itself, he wouldn't have been able to see past all those tears. He shook his head slowly, feeling faint. "Sasuke."

"I loved you with everything I had, Naruto," his words were fading into the darkness. "I just don't know how you couldn't see it."

_This... sucks..._ This was the only chance he would have at fighting for him in order to make amends. This should have been the last stand where everything was corrected and all would be forgiven. There were so many things he wanted to say, but all of it slipped passed him in an agonizing blur as everything melted to black.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Soooo, NaNo is done X3 More time for other things.

So yeah~


	13. Chapter 13

The room was shrouded in darkness and left him unable to see anything beyond the foot of the bed. His eyes darted from left to right, frantically, feeling that he was unable to lift his body in order to sit up as if someone was holding him down. There was an overwhelming fear that someone dwelled in the obscurity, staring at him menacingly while he lay there, completely powerless. A low groaning began to sound as the room began to shift, almost as if it were about to collapse on top of him. He wanted to scream for help, but only a shallow breath escaped from his throat as the noise became louder, inviting another voice to start a chorus of incessant moans that sent a frightened shiver down his spine. He felt pressure against the mattress, looking down to see long and lanky fingers emerge from the foot of the bed, slowly clawing their way towards him. They came at him from all sides, reaching and trying to pull him in different directions into the darkness, and he could do no more than watch.

"LET ME GO!"

"Naruto!"

Finally, a scream was managed as the blond bolted upright, arms flailing to fend off his assailants. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"Naruto! Please, calm down!" The panicked plea broke through the awful droning in his ears as he felt two hands firmly grip onto his shoulders.

He opened his eyes with another gasp and violent twitch, trying to shake off whoever had grabbed him. Before he knew it, he had locked eyes with a familiar gaze, though there was something much more forlorn and tired about them.

"S-Shikamaru..." he mumbled hoarsely, the image of the tidy guest room finally coming into focus. He looked down to see that his arms and fingers were wrapped with bandages, and that he had been sweating a lot during the night. There was something familiar about the situation and Naruto tried to recall whether this had happened before and for how long.

"Thank god," his friend spoke quietly with a wry smile. Upon closer inspection, Naruto could clearly make out deep and dark rings under the boy's eyes. His voice was also hoarse and, somewhat, restless when he spoke that he came off as more anxious rather than composed. "You finally recognized me."

Naruto looked around the room once more before staring back at his friend, feeling a knot tighten in his throat before he spoke. "He... left me, didn't he?" His fingers curled tightly into the comforter as hot tears brimmed his eyes painfully.

"Shh, Naruto," he whispered softly, the most gentle tone he had ever heard from his friend. "You're okay, now."

"Where am I?"

"In a guest room at my apartment. It's been 3 days since I brought you here. Do you remember?"

"No..." he mumbled, his throat parched from all the heavy breathing.

Naruto leaned forward, feeling the pull of multiple bandages around his body along with a painful sting that immediately inflamed his limbs and neck. "What happened to me?"

"Something involving glass, I assume," Shikamaru replied more bitterly. "When I got to the hospital they were pulling glass out of you and had to stitch you up a little. By that time _he_ was gone and my information was already given."

"He..." Naruto swallowed painfully, unable to bring himself to say his name. "He took me to the hospital?"

"Well, was he supposed to let you bleed to death?" Shikamaru's tone rose hoarsely. "What if things had gotten worse and you died, Naruto? You should be more concerned that the hospital visit was necessary at all!"

"This was my fault from the start!" Naruto shouted defensively, wincing at how utterly dry his throat was. "I couldn't have complained if he had wanted to kill me!"

"You can't complain that I _really_ want to deck you for saying that!"

He flinched at the sharp tone, unsettled by the tension being put between them. "Why are you being so forceful? This isn't like you..."

There was a trace of regret, but no less frustration in Shikamaru's eyes before he closed them to heave a tired sigh. "Not a lot of things matter to me, Naruto, but, even as troublesome as you are, you're important to me. It pains me to see you hurt like that."

He could not quite bring himself to fully register what his friend had said. It wasn't like the other boy to be so open and forward about what he was feeling. Naruto expected that he would feel more annoyed about this than anything. "Okay, I get it," he croaked weakly. "I'm sorry."

Shikamaru nodded in acknowledgment as he leaned over and grabbed something from the nightstand drawer. "I this is hard for you to understand, but I need to ask you something about this."

He felt his entire body flinch inward, having guessed what his friend was about to show him. Even though he should have been prepared, he couldn't stand the tight knots that twisted in his throat and stomach as Shikamaru moved closer to him on the bed with a rolled up magazine in hand. Naruto did his best not to shut his eyes or slap the magazine out of his face as Shikamaru revealed the familiar cover to him again. He stared blankly at the picture, his lip curling as he tried to maintain focus.

"You said you wanted to ask me something?" He managed to mumble as he finally looked away. "It hasn't changed since the last time I saw it, so I can't really help you since you know what happened."

"The picture itself isn't what I'm curious about," Shikamaru added with a dismissive shake of his head. "I was wondering if this sounded familiar to you at all."

His blue eyes trailed back up, this time following his friend's finger which pointed to a bold name printed at the bottom corner of the picture. _Yakushi Kabuto_.

"Wh-"

"Because it sounded awfully familiar to me, I was wondering if you could shed some light on this situation."

"B-but... that can't be..."

"So, this _isn't_ the man you've been meeting at Suna regularly?"

"Ye—No! He's part of the theater program!" Naruto stammered in bewilderment as he grabbed the article from Shikamaru, staring at the name as if he had been reading it wrong the entire time. "That's just not... Kabuto-san wouldn't..."

"He's never tried to take your picture? Get you alone? Acted suspicious?"

"N-no! Never! He wouldn't!" Naruto shouted again as he threw the magazine across the room. "It's not him, it's someone else!"

"He's never once asked you about something other than theater?"

"_Your name, Naruto. Would you happen to be the same Naruto that has been making headlines on the internet and tabloids for an affair with Uchiha Sasuke?"_

The sudden silence was all the confirmation that his friend needed. "Was anyone else around when he asked?"

Naruto shook his head, swallowing another lump in his throat as he stared down at his hands. "It was just him when I went back the first time... He had me come back later when everyone else was there but he never mentioned it again."

"Is that normal? Callbacks happen in front of one person before being judged by the rest?"

"Well, no..." his voice was cracking. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably as if rejecting the idea that Kabuto, a man he considered his friend, could have been so deceitful. How could that be possible? He was usually so good at reading people that he figured he would be able to sort out the liars from those who were being truly genuine. Could he have been fooled after all this time? If that was so, did that mean that Anko and Haku had been in on it as well? Suna was the only other place where he felt comforted and as if no one there had truly recognized him. Had they been stringing him along the entire way just to find out what they could about him while he remained oblivious the entire time? "How stupid am I?"

"Naruto, don't jump the gun just yet. We don't know about the others."

"Why not? _Not_ jumping the gun is what got us here, isn't it? Playing it 'safe' just so some asshole could lie to me just before publicly _humiliating _me?" There was anger. There was a deep and seething rage that suddenly surged through his entire body. He was embarrassed and dazed by the whole situation, but that did not mean that he would be merciful. "I'm going to find this prick and I'm going to wring his fucking neck! I'll get to the rest of them later!"

"Calm down," Shikamaru sighed as he pulled a cell phone from the drawer as well. "You don't know if they were accomplices just yet. You have to find that out."

"How?"

The phone hit the side of his head before landing in his lap. He stared down at the blank screen, then back at his friend.

"Ask."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm writing so many things at once that it feels like it's taking forever to finish one thing. I need to find some focus XD


	14. Chapter 14

"Naruto-kun?" Haku called out in surprise as he began to run across the theater before the blond held up his hand to halt him. "We've been so worried. We kept calling but your phone was off."

"So, you saw the article?" His voice was unexpectedly apathetic, even when he was tensing his entire body to keep himself from trembling.

The pale boy nodded, a frown furrowing his brow as his gaze dropped to the ground. "I had no idea that you were going through something like this..."

"Wait, what?" Naruto cut in, feeling slightly confused at the unanticipated reaction.

"Well, we've been spending so much time together, but you never hinted that there was so much going on with you. I just thought you were a sad person in general."

"Thanks!" Naruto snapped with annoyance, bringing a hand up to rub his forehead. "So, you had absolutely _no_ idea about Kabuto?"

"Hold on!" Haku gasped, suddenly pointing an indignant finger. "You can't possibly think that we all had some part in this!"

"At this point, anything is a possibility, alright? Just shed some light on this, will ya?" Naruto shouted back as he began to pull his hair.

"Alright, children! That's enough!" Another familiar voice called out from the stage. Anko stood at the edge, both hands on her hips with her usual quirky smile as she beckoned them forward. "Haku, you can't blame Naruto for being suspicious after what just happened to him. We're all shocked at how things turned out, so let's try to gather ourselves and go about this rationally."

"_You_, rational?" Haku mumbled under his breath, making Naruto reluctantly smile.

"Naruto-kun," Anko began as she plopped down at the edge of the stage, leaning down to his eye level. "I promise you we didn't know anything about Kabuto-san. To the rest of us, he was just a student who transferred here recently. There was no way we could have known."

"So, where is he now?" He asked in a low growl, clenching his fists at the thought of coming face to face with that prick.

"Inexplicably transferred back out, I'm afraid," she sighed as she leaned back on her hands. "As it turns out, his previous major at the other university was journalism, but that's all that I know about that. Caused us a bit of frustration for a few days, that's for sure."

"I get it," he grumbled almost to himself as he turned on his heels. "It's too much trouble."

A gentle hand suddenly took hold of his, making him turn to look back at Haku. "She didn't say that, Naruto-kun. Suna has done everything they could to close the campus off to nonstudents. We're even making the theater department more exclusive until Evening of Theater is over."

Somehow, hearing that did not make him feel any better. His world had not only been brutally shattered by the deception of a man he was sure he could trust, but it was those around him that tried their hardest to put the pieces back together that made him feel the guiltiest. Even at Konoha, Sarutobi had done all he could to keep the world away from him, even if it was at the inconvenience of everybody else. Why was everyone always going out of their way to help him?

"No. Don't do that," he said with a shake of his head. "That's not fair and you know it."

"What's not fair is how you were treated," Anko retorted with a raise of her slender brow. "We're not about to let it happen again. So, I suggest you relax and let us be there for you."

Naruto bit his bottom lip, his eyes moving between the two before he offered a defeated shrug. "Fine."

"That's what I like to hear!"

* * *

><p>The wind blew practically through him, making him cling to himself tighter as he walked across the campus at a brisk walk. He was sure to keep his gaze on the ground with his hood practically hanging over half of his face as he weaved through the crowded courtyard to make his way toward the entrance. As appreciated and distracting as their practice had been, he could not bring himself to feel any more at ease than he was that morning. Even as he spoke his lines, he could not comprehend the emotion that he was supposed to muster, and in the end his expressions looked forced and borderline creepy as he tried to remember how to move his face properly.<p>

There was a definite art to acting, and his talent always lied in a bit of truth, something he was always feeling. But even when the pain had subsided he was left with an emptiness that left him feeling numb. It was as if there was no point in trying to force himself to speak these words that weren't his and pretend to be someone he wasn't, especially when he had no clue who he was. Without _him_ there was an underlying fear that echoed in his head until it was all he could think about, and the world around him seemed meaningless. What would his life become now that he successfully drove away the most important person to him?

"Naruto?" He immediately froze, keeping his face down as a pair of feet suddenly approached and stopped before him. "... What are you doing?"

"What do you want?" He asked, refraining from looking up as if the entire world would notice him if he did.

"To... talk, I suppose."

"You suppose?" he scoffed, unable to keep himself from glancing up at the impassive redhead who looked down at him, slightly perplexed. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not really in the mood to talk to _anyone_, thanks."

"I assume you have something more important to do at home?" Gaara questioned almost strategically, making Naruto wince at the thought of sitting in that empty room with nothing more than his thoughts to occupy himself.

His hand slipped into his pocket, pulling out his phone to check for any messages from Shikamaru. Another icy gust blew past them, making Naruto shudder as he retracted his hands back into his sleeves.

"A public place. We're walking there."

"Deal," Gaara conceded with a nod before immediately turning and leading them toward the front gate.

_I'm going to regret this. I'm going to regret this. Stop yourself before you regret this!_ As they exited the campus and crossed the street to come up on the town square, his thoughts only became increasingly panicked as he instinctively began to look around for possible escape routes. What the hell was he thinking by trusting another random stranger after what just happened? Even if he wanted to trust others out of impulse, he was shown that even he did not have the capabilities to weed out the good from the bad anymore. The line had been crossed, and he could no longer distinguish between the two.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not going to harm you in any way," the sudden statement made the blond jump as he looked up from the sidewalk to the boy whose eyes were fixated on the path ahead.

"Don't take this personally... but I'm still not so sure I should trust you."

"I told you not to go with him, didn't I?" he retorted with a quick indicative glance to the younger boy.

Naruto completely stopped, straightening himself out to look at Gaara, suddenly overtaken with suspicion rather than comfort. "Y-you did, didn't you?"

"We never got the chance to finish talking because of him," he stated wryly before casually walking into a small café a couple buildings down from the crosswalk.

It was a fairly open space, and it was close to the school so if the conversation went sour he was confident that he could navigate the nearby alleys until he reached safety.

"We can sit by the door, if you want."

"Huh?" He asked before realizing that he had been openly calculating his escape from the beginning. "Oh! I... I'm sorry!"

Gaara slid into a small booth by the window, pulling down the blinds as Naruto sat across from him. "Better?"

"I'm sorry," he said again almost pleadingly as he buried his face in his arms. "I'm still kinda messed up. You caught me at a really bad time."

"Did you really not expect this?" His question came off more honest rather than malicious, making Naruto peek up from the table.

"No, I honestly didn't," he admitted weakly, looking away as the waitress came up and asked if they wanted anything to drink.

With nothing more than water for either of them, Gaara waited for her to pass before speaking again. "People are cruel by nature, yet you paraded around as if nothing could touch you. How could you not?"

"I don't think that way, Gaara," he snapped, finding his tone irritating. "I'd rather trust people. What would shutting them out get me?"

"Anything," he answered simply, nodding to the waitress as she set the waters down in front of them. "When people learn that you cannot be manipulated, they become vulnerable themselves. Once they spot your weakness they will only work to deepen the wound."

Though the outlook seemed rather morbid, there was a bit of truth in it. Ever since that first article, it seemed as if there were two forces constantly colliding to see who would bend first. They desperately searched for him and chased him down in order to expose his flaws for the world to see. It was humiliating and cost something dear to him, and they used it in a front page story for their own entertainment.

"Believe it or not, I have met some amazing people by opening up to them. My friends will be there for me when everything else crashes around me." Somehow, that statement felt more reassuring the more he thought about it. Whenever something went wrong he had Shikamaru there to fix things and make him feel better, but he could not help but wonder what the others were thinking about now that they had undoubtedly found out about his more recent travesty.

"I see. It takes a different kind of person to carry that kind of mentality," Gaara mused to himself as he took a sip of water.

"So what does that make you?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms as he leaned back. Regardless of how casual their conversation was, he still knew nothing about this guy or why he had the sudden fancy to talk to him.

"Curious." He shrugged as if the answer did not matter either way. Gaara looked down at the table as he rested his chin against one of his palms. There was something glazing his eyes over, making him appear as if he were glaring coldly at everything, yet there was something sad about that. If anything his eyes were tired, drained of the energy to do anything other than stare ahead and analyze. "I can't remember the last time somebody actually talked to me rather than at me. I thought that you must be different."

"Sorry to disappoint," Naruto muttered, letting his face fall back into his arms as he closed his eyes. The more they talked, the more confused he got. What even compelled him to follow this guy in the first place? Their incredibly brief history had been anything but pleasant, yet he still decided to trust him.

"You didn't."

Naruto peered up at the redhead once more, hiding the faint smile on his lips behind his sleeves. "I understand what you're getting at, by the way. About people." Gaara looked down at him to indicate that he was listening. "After everything that has happened it is definitely much easier to think of hating my enemies rather than loving them, but I just can't seem to get it right, regardless of what I do. Pretty hopeless, huh?"

The question seemed to only confuse the other boy as they remained in a comforting silence. His gaze trailed to his right, staring listlessly as the TV mounted against the wall. "I'm not sure ,yet." His eyes narrowed at the screen, making Naruto turn his head to see what was so troubling.

The anchorwoman spoke, her words barely audible over the mild chatter of the café, yet the words at the bottom were what caught his attention. _"Confronting the Scandal: Interview with Uchiha Sasuke."_

His stomach suddenly twisted painfully, cringing inwardly upon reading his name. He did not want to think about him yet; he had been carefully _not_ thinking up until now. He just was not ready for this. Naruto looked to Gaara, his eyes wide with panic as he tried to think of what to do next. He felt so tense that he was ready to vomit, his heart suddenly pounding and making his body feel hot. The first thing he finally felt from the numbing apathy and it was devastating enough to make him never want to feel anything ever again.

Gaara looked at him for a moment before turning in his seat to wave down the waitress. "Could you turn it up?" _ASS!_

"Sure thing," she nodded, standing on her tip toes to reach the button on the side of the screen,

With every click the woman's voice grew louder, becoming clearer and making Naruto feel as if he were being pushed back by some unknown force. He did not want to hear this... but his body wouldn't move.

"... and with us today, rather than sending a corporate official to represent him, Uchiha Sasuke has agreed to talk with us in order to clear up the mishaps of the shocking front page picture that put the company and its shareholders in a rather awkward standstill with the public."

The screen suddenly split, pushing her to the left of the screen as the image of Sasuke sat at the right. Naruto's nails scratched at the table as his fingers curled into tight fists, taking in a sharp breath only to forget how to exhale. He was beautiful, clad in a dark blue suit and sitting straight before a backdrop with the company logo running across it. He looked directly into the camera, unmoving, and it felt as if he were staring directly at Naruto.

A hand placed itself atop one of his fists, making Naruto momentarily break away from the screen to look at Gaara. "You'll be fine."

He nodded, feeling even less assured as he forced himself to look back at the screen.

"Thank you for joining us, today."

"Of course."

Naruto flinched. Seeing him was one thing, but actually hearing his voice was almost too much. The two words lingered in the air with his bitter indifference toward the woman yet he could not help but shake in anticipation. He did not think that he would ever be granted the chance to see Sasuke again, and the fact was actually more painful to digest than the uncomfortable interview taking place.

"As you know, people were baffled to hear that there was an engagement to be broken with Hyuuga Hinata of GCC."

There was a slight lag before she received a reply. "The engagement was not meant to be made public. Hyuuga-san and I had intended for our mutual decision to remain within the few who knew."

"Any comment on the rumors that suggested your engagement had been arranged years prior?"

"It had. Yet, we are individuals who are free to practice our right to refuse a commitment as serious as marriage, arranged or otherwise." His voice was becoming more irritated, though it appeared as if he was keeping his cool. It was a trait of Sasuke's that Naruto had come to recognize when they were talking. If something bothered him, Sasuke would insist on playing it cool and keeping composed before he was pushed over the edge. Though he only ever got like that when they were in school together.

"How about the one that claimed the annulment was caused because of an affair with a younger classmate of yours?"

That was the question he was waiting for, and it came fairly early in the interview which meant it could only get worse from there. Naruto's hand grasped onto Gaara's sleeve, trying to find comfort or stability in something. He felt dizzy, and his stomach ached so much that he was becoming nauseous.

This time there was a clear pause as Sasuke gathered his answer, his expression remaining the same. "These allegations are false."

The warmth suddenly left his body as he felt himself begin to waver in his seat. It was as if the air had been kicked from his lungs, leaving him completely winded with no way to breathe properly again. Sasuke had to save face, naturally, but even if Naruto knew he was lying it did not make hearing it any less overwhelming. It was as if all their time together was being carelessly swept beneath a rug, and he knew he deserved it.

"Well, that has obviously come into speculation after this recent article was printed. It seems that the head of your company, your brother, was the one who was having this alleged affair."

"So it would seem."

"What does the company have to say in light of his recent actions? Would you say that his philandering has revealed his incompetence as the head of the company?" Her questions were so carefully crafted, practically forcing him to agree to the statements that came just before the actual query.

"The company is not responsible for what my brother does in his private life."

"Are you avoiding the actual question?"

"I just answered it," Sasuke replied curtly with the faintest hint of a frown beginning to appear on his lips. "I refuse to be led to gossip with you about trivial matters."

The woman was not affected by his coldness, merely continuing her barrage. "Being scandalized by the public is a bit more than trivial. Rest assured, our interview's purpose is for you to bring us much needed clarity."

"Uchiha Itachi is not an ineffectual leader, as recent stock will plainly tell anybody," Sasuke explained calmly, his tone remaining the same as he elaborated on the specific numbers from different quarters that must have proved Itachi's ability to run the company. With every uncomfortable question that made Naruto flinch and writhe in his seat, Sasuke approached them elegantly, using his charisma to his advantage to dodge certain inquiries that would have, otherwise, exposed the both of them. However, each time he lied to the camera, his dark eyes burning holes into him as he spoke, Naruto was only further agonized.

"So, what of the boy in question? How does he fit into the picture?"

"He doesn't," Sasuke answered sharply, a slight twitch in his brow gave away that he was bothered at the mention.

Naruto looked to Gaara. He was unsure of what expression he had, but it made the redhead's look soften considerably as the woman continued.

"What of the claims that say he has been the one behind _both_ of the Uchiha scandals that made headlines?"

"The implications are ludicrous. To hear that the press has been so desperate as to chase down random civilians trying to find some sort of connection is laughable at best. However, we want to make perfectly clear that whatever private matters we have tried to keep confidential have no bearing on our corporate standing. This 'boy in question' has absolutely nothing to do with us."

"Change it!" Naruto yelled into his arms, covering his ears as he sank even further into himself.

The sound soon cut, bringing back the welcomed chatter that sounded muffled through his hands. Gaara sat back down, staring at the blond wordlessly as if he had nothing more to say. He leaned back into his palm, appearing bored by the ordeal.

"To be honest, I am not entirely sure what I should do in this situation," he admitted simply as if he wanted to be offered the solution.

Naruto wasn't sure either. His chest heaved with such force each time he tried to take in a breath; it felt as if his lungs wouldn't work otherwise. Nothing to do with Sasuke? So it was as simple as that? Lie after lie and Sasuke did it without so much as batting an eyelash when it had torn Naruto apart every time. What was worse was that he deserved it. He didn't deserve to be shown mercy or given sympathy, because he was the one who was wrong in the end. But even with that knowledge, having to hear his existence be refuted before his eyes was too devastating to handle.

"Enjoy the show?" A low growl came from behind as a hand gripped onto Naruto's shoulder.

The blond jumped, looking back at the familiar face. "Neji? What—"

"Shikamaru asked me to pick you up and, since you wouldn't answer your phone, I decided to look around to see if you were still nearby," he replied, though Naruto did not seem to be the focus of his attention. His pale hues glared heatedly at the boy across from them though Gaara did not make a move to explain himself. "Making friends?"

"More like, conversation," Gaara retorted dryly before Naruto was yanked to his feet and led out the door.

"Seriously, Naruto? _That_ guy seemed okay to you?" Neji mumbled under his breath as he opened the passenger door to his car.

The blond closed the door, staring at the window where the blinds completely hid the other boy from view. His friend settled into the driver's seat, seeming perturbed and wanting an actual response. He only let out a breath, trying to push the woman's voice and her questions to the back of his mind. It was the last thing he needed, but at the same time, he didn't mind Gaara's company at all.

"Don't worry about it."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there you have it XD


	15. Chapter 15

"WAKE THE HELL UP!"

"AAHH!" The shout was enough to launch Naruto into the air with a startled yelp, falling back onto the mattress before having his shoulders pinned down by a pair of strong hands. He flailed dizzily under the other's weight, failing miserably to even move his assailant. "What the hell is your problem, old man?"

"OLD? We're the same age!"

"What?" Naruto's questioned remained as he blinked his eyes, trying desperately to rid himself of the blurriness. "K-Kiba?"

"The one and only!" the brunette exclaimed proudly with a smug grin. "Did you miss me?"

"Holy shit! It's really you!" Naruto cried out as he tackled his friend down in a tight embrace. His hands began to tremble nervously as if the image before him would disappear and it would have been nothing more than a hopeful dream. "I can't believe it!"

"Well, believe it!" Kiba laughed as he wrapped his arms around the blond, practically crushing him to remind him that he, in fact, was still in reality. "I'm here to pick you up, dude!"

"Really?"

He wasn't quite sure where the sudden enthusiasm was coming from, but it almost seemed to naturally overwhelm him once he saw Kiba. There were questions, but overall there was sheer excitement that made him, momentarily, forget everything. Already his mind was filled with words and questions that went racing around his head so fast that he could hardly concentrate. The feeling was foreign, yet welcomed immediately as the best damn distraction he'd had in days.

"About damn time, too!" Kiba declared, propping himself up on his elbows. "I'd been trying to get a hold of you assholes for forever!"

Naruto shrugged with a nervous chuckle. "I've been busy."

"_Apparently_."

"I..."

"Dude, stop," Kiba demanded as he put a hand to Naruto's mouth. "You're gonna harsh my mellow if you keep looking this sad."

Naruto pushed down the urge to apologize, forcing a weak smile before nodding in reply. Somehow, he had forgotten how contagious Kiba's carefree attitude was and how relaxed he felt now that he was there. It was like the other boy's presence chased away all the inhibition and emptiness that had only grown upon itself until Naruto felt like he couldn't be any heavier. His sense of charisma was unique in the sense that it was captivating as well as intuitive. As long as Kiba was there, Naruto had no doubt that he was going to have a good day.

"Stop staring at me, dude! We gotta go!" Kiba exclaimed once more, lifting the blond off him and tossing him to the side.

"Go?" Naruto questioned, still in a bit of a stupor as he tried to find his dresser. "Where?"

Before he knew it, a pair of jeans came flying at his face, making him stumble back to the bed. Garments soon lay scattered across the floor before Kiba turned back to look at him. "Well? Why aren't you getting dressed?"

"Because I'm still confused as to the why and the where," Naruto answered with a laugh as he picked up an orange t-shirt.

"Because I am awesome and out to brunch!" Kiba answered smugly as he tossed the blond a pair of socks. "We can't keep our guests waiting either, so hurry your ass up already!"

"Have you woken that lazy kid up yet?" Jiraiya's head peeked in with a quick exasperated glance at the sudden mess on the floor. "I take it you won't be staying to clean?"

"Sorry, old man," Naruto chuckled as Kiba pulled him past Jiraiya and to the front door.

"Just... call if you need anything."

The statement itself sounded slightly worried, which did not fit the old man's composed nature. He was typically quick to argue and could mask his own doubts and worries with a sarcastic remark. It had been their only way of communicating since it was awkward to try and get to know each other so forwardly. Through their witty conversations, however, he learned more about Jiraiya and the way that he did communicate as opposed to how he didn't. To falter even once and let his own uncertainties be heard in a single sentence was off putting, and Naruto was suddenly overcome with the desire to crawl back into his bed and hide. Why risk anything and make the old man worry?

"You're making that face again, dude."

He looked up, realizing he was being led to a small dark blue sedan that was still running without a driver. _That explains the hurry._

"Sorry," he mumbled as he let himself into the passenger seat. "I kinda do that sometimes."

"You look like you retreat into nowhere for a second," Kiba added as he strapped himself into the driver's seat. "You either do that often or you're just generally miserable."

"The latter seems likely, especially in light of certain circumstances," he tried to laugh it off but his voice ended up cracking into a dry exhale before he tried to clear his throat. A part of him was saying that he should exit the car and retreat into that familiar oblivion that he had become so well acquainted with, yet his body refused to move, even anchoring himself down until the car started to move.

Nothing good ever came from hiding from his problems. In fact, that only seemed to make matters worse. Being with Kiba was what he needed and, probably subconsciously, what he wanted. Since Shikamaru had recently become busy with his schooling and own family business, it was hard to occupy the time and fill the emptiness with things he frequented so scarcely through the week like theater or even seeing Neji. Kiba had finally broken the monotonous cycle of moping and even long hours of receding into nothingness. Regardless of how persistent the emptiness was, and how easily his happiness was broken, Naruto knew that he needed a friend like him around to be just as persistent to chase all the inhibitions away.

"We're going to fix that today; mark my words, Uzumaki."

Naruto glanced at his friend who sported his usual cocky grin as he turned, quite recklessly, down another street. With confidence like that, who cared if it would turn out to be true or not? He wanted to believe him, and hold onto the smile he had when he first woke up. He did himself no favors by acting the way he had.

"So, where are we going, anyway?"

"Riiiight here," Kiba answered as he pulled into a small lot that sat at a busy street corner. Either way he looked the square was lined with restaurants and shops, each with a crowd of people navigating their way along the narrow sidewalks. Naruto had never cared to travel to such a busy place, but he wasn't about to let himself get anxious again. "It's just a small café, but I _love_ their muffins."

"Muffins?" Naruto blurted out laughing as he followed his friend through the building and onto the gated patio area where few others sat. "That's your idea of brunch. I would have preferred ramen or something."

To that Kiba turned around with a smile, "You might like this place a bit better than ramen." Without another word he stepped aside and gestured to the table that already seated three others.

A short gasp was all he could manage after the initial shock.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm getting over a very persistent strep infection that has led to my second set of antibiotics. Fuuuuun XD Just believe me when I say a lot of bad things hve happened. But enough of that. I'll work hard through this and try to get this shit done XD Thank you to the one who sent that message and motivated me to actually MAKE the time to finish this chapter and most of the next!

Ciao~


	16. Chapter 16

"Fuzzy... Brows?" Naruto spoke slowly as if the older boy sitting at the table was merely a figment of his wild imagination.

Tenten leaned forward from behind Lee with an energetic wave. "It's been a long time, Naruto-kun!"

Before he could utter a reply, the two jumped up and locked him in a tight group hug. Kiba let out a satisfied chuckle as he gave Naruto a hard pat on the back, probably guessing that the blond needed to be reassured that the scenario was real. As they stepped back towards their seats, his eyes fell on the third person who was waiting patiently for their turn.

Her eyes glittered with a vibrant emerald color like he always remembered her and her hair had been cut short, just falling above her shoulders. The change made her appear slightly older, yet still as cheerful without her long pink locks that used to be pulled back into a ponytail. She smiled at him warmly, her chin resting against her palm as she studied him as well. It had been far too long for this.

"It's nice to see you, Naruto-kun," she giggled as she sat up and held out her arms for a hug of her own.

"SAUKURA-CHAN!" he cried out, making the other patrons and even those who passed by on the sidewalk jump. Ignoring their inquisitive stares, he leaped at her, throwing his arms around her shoulders and pulling her as close as he possibly could.

Seeing Kiba gave him the motivation to actually get out and renewed some hope that things could get better. But when he saw Sakura, it was like his entire life had been restored. He could clearly remember the days they spent at Konoha in the theater classroom, sitting in the shade of the trees on campus, and her often scolding him and Kiba to be more studious when exams were getting close. Without even knowing it, Sakura had become another source of comfort that he must have forgotten throughout the summer, because there was not a single troubling thought that came to mind while he had her in his arms.

"I can't believe this!"

"You're going to crush me!" she coughed jokingly before pulling away. "Why haven't you called me?"

"Or me!" Lee and Tenten added, both crossing their arms at the same time without realizing it.

"Blame Shika," Naruto replied as he put his hands up in surrender, "He was my acting secretary."

"Oh? With how busy you've been I'm sure you had no time to pencil in a friend or two?" Sakura asked as she crossed her arms the same as the others. "For shame."

Naruto laughed, the sudden shift in pressure made his head feel light. "And what if I was? Why haven't any of _you_ called _me_?"

"We were actually on a class trip for theater for the first part of summer, Naruto-kun," Lee explained excitedly. "Gai-sensei took us to on a tour of Europe! We got to see so many interesting museums and theaters along the way! It was such a great experience; I was wondering why _you_ didn't go!"

"I had no idea you guys were gone!" Naruto looked at each of them as if he was taken aback. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I thought you knew," Tenten replied with an apologetic shrug.

"I figured you would be busy." Sakura's answer brought on a quick silence that didn't make him feel as uncomfortable as he thought it should.

He nodded silently in agreement. Even if there had been mention of a trip, he was probably too involved in other things and drama to have noticed too much. Still, when he thought about it, a trip to Europe with his good friends sounded like a better alternative to how his summer had actually turned out. Maybe there was a point, when he was still at Konoha, where he could have made a change for the better, and he wouldn't have, somehow, ended up in a corporate scandal. The very thought of it was enough to make him almost laugh, but he managed a very tight smile as he tried to force the memories down. No, of course it could not have turned out any different, because at the time there was no other option.

"I still am," he spoke up before an awkward silence could settle amongst them. "I actually got a part in a theater event at Suna University. It's called An Evening of Theater; it would mean the world to me if you guys went to it."

"A chance to see you perform?" Lee asked excitedly. "I wouldn't miss it!"

"Good, because I'm not asking," Naruto added with a mischievous smirk. He took a seat next to Sakura, looking over their smiling faces again.

Despite everything, he had found a new comfort in his friends. Maybe it was because they did not know as much as Shikamaru did that he felt so relieved to have them there. There wasn't a white elephant in the room that was the source of all their stress, but they had their own lives to share with him that had nothing to do with his problems. It was like a breath of fresh air.

He heard it in their laughter, the carefree spirit that he had forgotten during the summer which had been replaced with constant strain and unbelievable tension. Their smiles were effortless and, better yet, contagious. He could hardly remember why life had become so difficult to deal with in the first place as he found himself laughing over the smallest details they discussed over some omelets and a few cups of coffee. He told them about Haku and Anko and all of the things they taught him, and he learned that Sakura and Lee were able to perform a small one act in one of the venues they visited. The tales were simple, yet somehow mystifying. There was not a worry that existed in their world as it continually filled with the sounds of their laughter and the occasional corny joke from Kiba.

"God, can we _move_?" Kiba's whine sounded over their delighted chatter. "We ate an hour ago and we're still sitting here! My ass hurts!"

"I didn't know you swung that way," Naruto jeered, receiving a punch to the arm.

"His majesty fancies a stroll, then," Sakura added as she pulled her small purse over her shoulder. "The point of this whole date was to get you out and about, anyway."

"Oh, because you know all about my solitude issues?" Naruto joked.

"No, but Shikamaru does," Sakura replied with a light shrug. "He arranged this whole thing for us so that we could all see each other at the same time."

"Shika did?" Naruto questioned quietly, suddenly feeling liable for neglecting his best friend for the past couple of days. Even if he wasn't physically around, Shikamaru was always doing what he thought was best for Naruto. As touched as he was, there was an unrelenting feeling of guilt that began to slowly nag away at him as he stood from his seat. "Wow..."

"You should thank him," Sakura added with a pat to his shoulder, a lighthearted wink was sent his way before she led them back through the small café and out onto the sidewalk.

"What _did_ you guys have in mind for me anyway?" Naruto asked, curiosity taking over all of his previous sullen thoughts. "You drag me out to the most expensive looking part of town for what?"

"What else?" Kiba snickered with a playful jab to the blond's ribs. "A raging party!"

"If visiting the modern art museum is what you call a 'raging party' then, yes," Tenten interrupted with a shake of her head, "We are going to 'party' our asses off."

"Modern art?" It took every ounce of willpower to keep himself from laughing at the thought. "Interesting."

"Mock our choice, if you must," Sakura called back to him as she and Tenten led the way, "but what better way to keep you mind occupied than looking at a bunch of pictures that you can't comprehend?"

And she was right. After a few more blocks they came upon the towering structure of stone and marble. Two sculptures sat at either side of the entrance, though none of them could quite make out what they were supposed to be. In fact, the entire building was filled with mind boggling displays that only delved them further into crippling confusion, but that was the fun of it all. The tall paintings, praised for their symmetry and technique, and sculptures that perplexed them even more than the ones outside were the source of continuous stifled giggles. Naruto began to hold onto his sides, the strain of his laughter began to cripple him with sharp pain that pulled his stomach muscles as they were finally kicked out for disturbing the 'peaceful environment'.

"Art is supposed to be up to interpretation!" Kiba called back to the guard defensively as they made their way back down the long steps. "I interpret it as hilarious!"

The judgmental glares were all they received before the guards turned back into the building, leaving the five teens to finally let out their laughter freely, trying to find direction as they began walking aimlessly down the sidewalk. To his surprise, Naruto had not once thought of anything that could possibly bring him down. In fact, he could not remember why he had ever been sad in the first place, and that was strange. As the days passed the sequence of events began to fade slowly from his memory; his mind was gradually pushing the thoughts away, but he found that they were not being replaced with anything at all. His recent days were spent in a daze of emptiness, and at times he felt as if nothing would ever fill the void. But they did. These people, with their genuine smiles and their ability to yank him from the worthlessness and breathe life back into him.

"Kiba, you are such an ass," Sakura giggled, putting her hand over her mouth in order to try and calm herself. "You're the one that got us kicked out with the 'Is this a penis?' 'Well, how about this one?' You were so obnoxious!"

"Whatever. I'm hilarious," Kiba retorted with a self-satisfied smirk as they rounded the building to head back down the block. "Where do you guys want to go ne—"

His sentence was cut short as the brunette immediately turned on his heels and shoved Naruto back so hard that he went tumbling down to the pavement, pulling his friend along with him.

"Ow! Kiba! What the hell?" He grumbled as he shoved the boy off him.

Sakura came back around the corner with a worried look in her eyes as she reached her hand out to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, the concrete broke my fall while being tackled," Naruto pointed out with a heated glare towards Kiba who sat up with a slight pant at how sudden and forceful he had been. "Seriously, what is your problem?"

"Sasuke," Kiba managed as he heaved himself from the ground and glanced back around the corner.

Naruto's entire body went numb, the very sound of the name was enough to make his stomach completely drop and he felt empty once more. _No! No! NO!_ This was not what he needed. Not of all the places and most certainly not of all the times. The last he ever heard from him was that he had nothing to do with Sasuke, and he had even forced himself to concede to that statement. Days of his mind trying to flush the thoughts of him from existence had finally been remedied by his friends, so why did he have to come up at a time like this? _WHY?_

"Where is he?" The question startled everyone, even himself. Of all the things he was thinking of to avoid the whole situation, that was not the question he actually had in mind. In fact, he _really_ didn't want to know.

"The café we were just at," Kiba answered, keeping his gaze fixed around the corner, not realizing what the situation was doing to Naruto. "Damn, why did he have to sit outside? It'll take us longer to walk around."

"Then we will," Lee declared boldly as he turned around to begin walking the opposite direction. "There is plenty more to do before we actually have to leave, so why go back?"

Naruto exhaled slowly through his nose, trying to ease himself into a tranquil state of mind, but he knew that it wasn't going to work. Once he heard his name, it was all over.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun," Sakura whispered softly as her hand cupped around his tight fist. "We'll go somewhere else and, hopefully, Kiba won't get us kicked out. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"You guys don't have to baby me," he finally grumbled, making them stare at him in bewilderment. "You know what happened, and I know you're trying to make me feel better, but please stop."

"Naruto-kun," Lee began unsurely, "we just want to make you happy."

"I know," he hissed as he pulled his hand away from Sakura, "and you guys do but... Fuck! Why does he have to be here too?" It almost felt too unreal to be true. "Show me. I want to see."

To that, Kiba shook his head slowly, stepping in front of the blond when he tried to peer around the building. "That won't do you any good."

"Why?" Naruto asked, his voice sounding more irritated than it was hopeless. "What good does it do me to avoid him all the time?"

"That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

Kiba hesitated with a nervous gaze set on his friend before he reluctantly answered, "He's with someone."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** There's actually not a lot of chapters left. XD This should be fun.


	17. Chapter 17

"Naruto-kun, please, can we just walk around?" Lee pleaded, his panic reflecting the feelings of the rest of his friends as Naruto continued to stare blankly at Kiba.

He could hear them just fine; in fact, he could hear everything. He could hear Kiba's shallow breathing as he stared back at him boldly, though it was readable in his friend's eyes that he was anticipating the worst outcome. He could hear the sharp _whoosh_ of cars as they sped past them, leaving a small gust of wind and the smell of exhaust in their wake which disturbed Naruto's senses more than anything.

But he wanted to not hear them. If only it could revert back to just moments ago when everything faded into the background without every single detail sticking out. It was like a sensory overload, and he was not sure what his next move was going to be. In truth, he was hoping that he had misheard what Kiba had said, because when he tried to think about it the thought became too unreal to be true, especially if he couldn't see it with his own eyes. That was what drove him to walk forward, without a word, pushing past his friend and stepping around the corner of the building. If he could not see it, then how would he know it was real? What evidence did he have that anything that had happened until then had ever existed? His own existence had been denied in front of the world, and everything he ever cherished had slipped through his fingers. How could anything be genuine anymore?

The last time he saw her she was timid, slouched so much that she practically caved in on herself, and without her long hair she would have come off, at first, as a boy. But she had the undeniably soft features of a girl. Smooth creamy skin, long dark eyelashes that accentuated her gentle pale eyes.

"Why... is Hinata-chan with him?" he asked to no one in particular. He did not expect his friends to know, but he still demanded the answer.

At the first glance, he almost didn't recognize her, despite the trademark Hyuuga eyes that were identical to Neji's. She sat straighter than he remembered, and it did not seem to be out of forced courtesy because she was relaxed and even had a tender smile playing across her lips. Her hair was actually longer than he remembered and was kept completely down, spilling over her shoulders and she leaned forward, grabbing the drink at her right.

"Naruto-kun," Sakura whispered, her voice sounding slightly anxious as she tugged on his shirt. "You don't have to look at this. We can walk away from this. It has nothing to do with sympathy."

He felt his head nod, but his eyes finally rested on the raven haired boy that sat next to her. He was leaning back in his chair, his posture was still straight, but was not as rigid as he was used to seeing. Naruto could see his dark eyes looking down at his drink while his lips moved, speaking inaudible words with short nods and mild hand gestures to which she nodded as well. They seemed comfortable with each other, but what actually mortified him was the fact that they looked good together.

To anyone else, the scene of the couple was not out of the ordinary. They matched each other so well that they became one with the vibrant scenery as if they were always meant to be there, like it was only natural. To him, however, it was devastating. There was this image that was painted so perfectly before him, and he wanted nothing more than to tear into it. He wanted to tear away at it until there was nothing left but an empty frame. He could stare into the abyss longer than he could stomach looking at the two of them together.

Not even a year ago, he had treaded across something he knew he shouldn't have, and against Itachi's wishes. Sasuke and Hinata had been arranged to marry when he had met them. But because of their situation and personal feelings about the matter, they both agreed that marriage was too important to let it be dictated by corporate officials, even if they were family. That was where the downward spiral had begun.

It could have been anyone sitting at that table with him. A friend, a colleague or, hell, it could have been his worst fucking enemy. So why did it have to be her? The one person who could possibly make Naruto feel uneasy, and he wasn't entirely sure why.

_This is probably not what it looks like..._ But it definitely seemed that way. Sakura was right. Sympathy had nothing to do with it. This was just a blatant mindfuck and it wasn't doing him any good just staring at them from down the street like a creeper.

He nodded his head, closing his eyes to try and reset his frame of mind. Just do what Sakura said for now and have a mental breakdown later. That sounded doable, but he was not even sure what he was truly feeling. Everything happened so fast that he was still shocked at what Kiba had said, despite the evidence being right in front of him.

Sakura began to pull on his arm, releasing him from any obligatory thoughts. All he had to do was follow her and listen. If he could manage to do just that, then he could hold back everything else. He did not want to know what would happen if his true thoughts showed themselves to him. What would happen if they surfaced? He wasn't sure he wanted to know just yet.

He opened his eyes with a defeated sigh, ready to turn around before he froze back in place and made his friends stop beside him. If only he had turned around before he opened his eyes, then maybe they could have walked forward and have been on their way. Sasuke, who had been preoccupied with whatever Hinata was saying had all of his attention focused on Naruto.

The blond blinked a few times, almost wondering if that black stare had really been directed at him. How long had it been since Sasuke looked at him? When was the last time he had looked directly at Sasuke? He couldn't think of what to do, right away. Once their gazes locked onto one another he had become completely petrified. What was he supposed to do? How many moments had passed? It felt like hours and all of the sound had been taken from the world. Were his friends saying anything? Were they trying to pull him away again? What the hell was going on?

The tension broke when Sasuke rose to his feet, his eyes still burning into Naruto's as he pushed his chair back. The movement was quick and smooth enough, but the sudden breach in the stillness created between them sent a surge of adrenaline through the blond's body that the first, and only, thing he could do in response was turn on his heels and sprint.

His sneakers pounded against the pavement sending painful shockwaves up his legs that reached all the way to his chest. His head was throbbing with each step, his mind went blank and instinct seemed to have full control as he took a sharp turn into the next alley he came across. Working the narrow passageways was almost like clockwork as he took every other turn in order to lose himself; he did not want to be found. Not by Sakura, not by Kiba, he just wanted to be left alone. Everything became the same. It was the same building down the same alley, and he was beginning to wonder if he was going to end up back where he started.

There was a sudden force that halted the entire escape, almost lifting him from the ground as he went flying into a dumpster. He hit it with a throbbing jab to his side, shouting once as he slid to the ground cringing in pain.

"Damnit, Naruto! I told you to stop!" His voice was clearly strained, not something the blond was used to hearing, and it only pained him more to hear it directed at him.

Sasuke knelt beside him immediately, an apparent look of anger still furrowing his features but not entirely masking the anguish in his eyes. Or maybe he just wished it was anguish. Naruto stared into his eyes, trying to read something that he could use, something that would explain why they were here, keeled over next to a rusted dumpster in an alley. _Oh god, I'm dreaming aren't I?_

A hand reached out slowly, tentatively at first until it gently came in contact with Naruto's cheek. No, he wasn't dreaming. His dreams could not replicate the warmth that emanated from his fingertips as they brushed up into his hair. Naruto shivered, closing his eyes to blink away whatever was stinging his eyes.

"Why did you come after me?" He finally managed to say something. It came out as a panicked cry as he tried to shove the other boy away from him. "Why do you think I was running?"

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Sasuke shot back, unmoved by the blond's attempt as he grabbed onto his shoulders tightly. "Before I even get to the sidewalk you were already a half a block away!"

"What the fuck do you care?" Naruto continued to struggle, though the pain in his side made it hard for him to move. "What does it matter that I ran? Just mind your own business!"

"Mind yours!"

"You're making that _really_ hard, if you haven't noticed!" Naruto shouted while motioning to the alley he had been chased into. "W-why did you even come after me, teme?"

Sasuke scowled, another familiar trademark that he hadn't really seen since school. "I... I don't know... You just..." He stopped himself, looking as confused as the blond and, unlike during his interview, he couldn't form a proper answer. A sigh cut into his stammering as he ran his fingers through Naruto's hair, making him flinch.

"S-stop... please," Naruto croaked, trying to turn his head away in defiance to the misleading tenderness. He couldn't let this ruin the peace he had finally achieved, but, in the back of his mind, he knew there was no going back. "You broke this off. You denied me in front of everyone. It's over, isn't it?"

The words made Sasuke draw his hand back quickly as if he had just realized what he was doing. Naruto's heartbeat was rattling in his skull violently to its own beat. It was without a temperate rhythm that created a chaotic drumming in his ears. He wasn't sure he was even breathing anymore. In actuality, it had not been that long since they had last seen each other, but it was still far too early to be meeting him like this.

"Why..." He tried to stop himself. "Why are you with Hinata?" _I don't want to know._

Sasuke glared at him, pulling on Naruto's shoulder to help him stand to his feet. "That is none of your business."

"Oh, is that how you want it to be?"

"What the hell do you want me to say, Naruto? It's not your place to know!"

"Do we need to be reminded of who _chased_ me to this spot?" he spat back, feeling his anger get the best of him. "This is after I see you with your former fiancé."

"Dobe! I already said that is none of your business!"

"Don't fuck with me!" Naruto lurched forward, shoving Sasuke as hard as he could so that he stumbled back into the wall. "Then don't follow me if I'm not supposed to know!"

"It's not easy for me either!" Sasuke shouted, making the blond shrink back. "And even though I know I should, I can't leave you alone when you look at me like that... Especially after..." He hesitated with a much more pained look that melted all of the resentment and frustration into a noticeable sadness.

"After?" Naruto urged him to continue. He wasn't sure how long their time together would last, but he did not want it to end there. Not like that.

"The last time I saw you," Sasuke mumbled, tearing his gaze away from the blond to look down at the ground. "I hurt you. I hurt you really bad, Naruto. I kept begging for you to wake up but the blood wouldn't stop… How was I supposed to face you after that?"

"What?" How was he supposed to face him? All that time of wallowing in self pity because he felt he lost everything, and Sasuke had been too ashamed to even contact him. When he thought about it, he hadn't even blamed Sasuke for what he did even though he knew he should have. But regardless of what he felt, the Uchiha was the one who held himself responsible for how the situation spiraled out of control.

They remained that way for what felt like an eternity. There was no sound, no background noise that his ears could detect. It was as if he had become a statue, lying in wait until the other made the first move.

Sasuke finally looked up with an unreadable expression. There were no detectable signs of distress nor was there a scowl or even a frown. He reached out once more, cupping Naruto's face and resting his forehead against the blond's. There was an odd sense of comfort that came from the familiar closeness, and Naruto made no move to try and push him away again.

"Hinata and I have been meeting to talk—just talk."

"About what?" The question was so soft that he was surprised Sasuke heard it at all. He couldn't help asking out of curiosity, but he truly did not want to know anymore. He did not want to know what he would find.

Sasuke let go of him, taking a step back with a shake of his head. That was all that he was going to say. Naruto nodded, accepting that this was all he was ever going to know; it was all he needed to know. The Uchiha turned back down the alley without a word, leaving Naruto with an emptiness that was beginning to swallow everything he had accomplished throughout the day. He did not want it to end like this either.

"Hey, teme," Naruto called after him, making Sasuke look back at him with an incredulous stare. "My performance is on Saturday. You and Hinata are welcome to come."

Sasuke stared at him for a while longer, his expression became indecipherable once more before he simply nodded. "Okay."


End file.
